Staff Report / August 10, 2026
EAST BLOOMFIELD – Two young men from Victor sustained serious injuries late Saturday night after the all-terrain vehicle (ATV) they were riding collided with an SUV and plunged down an embankment in East Bloomfield.
According to the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and New York State Police were dispatched to Gauss Road at approximately 11:10 p.m. Preliminary investigations indicate that an eastbound 2020 Toyota RAV4 pulled onto the shoulder to yield to oncoming emergency vehicles responding to an unrelated call. An ATV traveling behind the SUV at a high rate of speed attempted to slow down but was unable to avoid striking the vehicle.
Following the impact, the ATV veered off the south shoulder, traversed a grassy ditch and driveway, and rolled down an embankment, ejecting both occupants.
Key details regarding the victims, emergency response, and investigation include:
- Injuries & Transport: The riders, identified as 20-year-old Evan Whiting and 19-year-old Benjamin Jones, were taken to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester with serious injuries. The occupants of the Toyota RAV4 were uninjured.
- Road Closure: Authorities closed Gauss Road between Oakmount Road and County Road 40 to allow the Ontario County Crash Reconstruction Team to process the scene.
- Assisting Agencies: Emergency personnel from the Canandaigua Emergency Squad, Mercy Flight, and fire departments from East Bloomfield, Bristol, and Cheshire assisted at the crash site.
- Current Status: Law enforcement officials noted that the collision remains under active investigation.
