A tragic weekend dirt bike accident claimed the life of 11-year-old Zachary MacDonald of Hampstead, N.H. The boy's family was staying in a campground in Bath and riding on the rail trail between Bath and Lisbon, N.H. Zachary was riding third in a group of nine riders when he crashed into a gate on the trail about 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 15, in Lisbon, N.H. The trail is gated to prevent car and truck access, with openings to the side that are wide enough to accommodate All-Terrain Vehicles and dirt bikes. Zachary died after colliding with a post at one of these openings. 

Zachary was the youngest rider in the group. He was an experienced rider, having ridden dirt bikes for the past six years. The group had ridden the trail several times and passed through the same gate earlier in the day. Visibility may have been limited by dust raised by the first two bikes and glare from the setting sun. Zachary was wearing a helmet and eye protection.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, with cooperation from the Lisbon Police Department, investigated the incident.

"The death of this young person is a truly sad situation," said Major Tim Acerno of New Hampshire Fish and Game Law Enforcement. "It is a tragic reminder that all riders - of any age or level of experience - need to be acutely aware of trail conditions, their surroundings and potential obstacles and hazards on the trail ahead."