Deer Park Area News and Events


Thursday, September 18, 2003
New Richmond News
ATV overturns, Deer Park man killed

A 23-year-old rural Deer Park man was pronounced dead Saturday night at Holy Family Hospital in New Richmond after the all-terrain vehicle he was riding went down a steep embankment and overturned in the town of Cylon. The victim was identified as Mathew L. Erickson, the son of Carl and Rosanne Erickson, 1946 240th St.

According to the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Department, Mathew Erickson was attending a bachelor party Saturday night at a gravel pit on private property at 2511 200th Ave. in the town of Cylon. He left the party to go home shortly after 10 p.m., riding on a 2001 Polaris Sportsman ATV.

“The people at the party were all of legal age,” said Sheriff Dennis Hillstead Monday. “They had done some trap shooting and they had a bonfire later. When Mr. Erickson left, he rode off on a trail that goes along a very high embankment.” A few moments after Erickson left the scene, other people at the party heard a crash.

The ATV had gone over a 21-foot drop-off about 15 feet off the trail. The vehicle had overturned on top of its rider. A member of the party called 911 on a cell phone and Deer Park First Responders were sent to the scene. Erickson was pronounced dead on arrival at Holy Family Hospital. Authorities don’t know why Erickson left the trail with the ATV. The accident remains under investigation.

(Ed note: The address noted is about 2-1/2 miles south of county road H and 1 mile west of highway 63, a remote area near the Cylon Wildlife Area.)

Matthew Erickson, 23, of Deer Park, formerly of Hudson, died Saturday, September 13, 2003. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, September 21 at First Lutheran Church in New Richmond. Visitation is from 4-8:00 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12 at O'Connell Family Funeral Home, Hudson, (715) 386-3725. Interment will be in Lakeview Cemetery, Aitkin, MN.


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