Deputies with the Darlington County Sheriff's Office are investigating whether charges will be filed in the death of a 13-year-old girl killed in an all terrain vehicle accident in Darlington County.
Investigators want to know if Chandler's Law was violated.
The state law is named after Chandler Saylor who died in an ATV accident in 2003.
The law that seeks to protect children on ATV's went into effect July 1st.
Investigators say Aejonna Bell, 13, was driving the ATV and her twin sister and 16-year-old cousin were riding on it, Tuesday afternoon.
Bell is from Antelope, California and was visiting relatives in Hartsville.
Deputies say Bell tried to avoid some bricks in a field off of Pinehaven Road and lost control of the ATV.
All of them were thrown off and the two passengers were hurt.
Officers say say none of them were wearing helmets.
Darlington County Sheriff, Wayne Byrd, says his investigation centers on whether Chandler's Law was violated.
The new law prohibits parents from allowing children younger than 16 to carry passengers.
Children 15 and younger are required to wear a helmet and eye protection while riding on ATVs. They must also possess a safety certificate indicating successful completion of 'hands-on' all-terrain vehicle safety course approved by the All-Terrain Vehicle Safety Institute. "You would hope that you would have some direct adult supervision. the issue for us right now is whether these children had that training and whether they had any supervision at all at the time of the accident," said Sheriff Byrd.
Byrd hopes to have answers to those questions to wrap up this investigation in the coming days.
A violation of Chandler's Law is a misdemeanor with fines from $50 to $200.
