Child Injured In Sledding Accident In Tulsa

By Jeffrey Smith, The News On 6

TULSA, OK -- For kids, the day after a snowstorm can be a winter wonderland.

With more than six inches of fresh snow on the ground, hundreds of kids went sledding Saturday afternoon at Harwelden Mansion, 2210 South Main Street.

However, some learned the hard way that thick crowds and fast speeds can be a dangerous combination.

"At least 30 miles an hour, I mean they are going fast," said Cary Curtis, a parent.

Hundreds of people, young and old, were at Harwelden Mansion.

Some parents were a little concerned about safety.

"Yeah, but they get so few days like this. You just try to do your best and tell them to be careful and what to watch for," said Cary Curtis.

But it wasn't all fun. An 11-year-old girl going full speed slammed into Sandy Rodolf's parked car. She hurt her back and had to be taken to the hospital on a stretcher. The girl was in fair condition at last report.

"It was a big bang. I mean, the car visibly moved," said Sandy Rodolf, a parent. "I mean, I didn't even know what had hit me at first. I was like ‘what was that?' And it was a sledder."

Other parents say they're not surprised because close calls are a common sight.

"I don't think the kids really have a sense for what the danger is. They don't know how to steer the sled. They don't know how to bail or when to bail, or even if they should bail. And also, they go off like a rocket," said West Kubik, a parent.

Paramedics caution against sledding down crowded, icy (as opposed to snow-covered) hills, hills with trees or other obstacles and hills with roads or bodies of water at the bottom.

Other kids had fun in their front yards. The News On 6 caught up with Zoey Conley as she started her snowman.

Jeffrey Smith : "What's your favorite thing about finishing up a snowman?"

"Adding all the details to it, the eyes," said Zoey Conley, 9-years-old.

Zoey says she has to take advantage of the snow before it's all gone.

You can submit pictures or even home video of your sledding adventures or your snowman using YouNews.