A Brownwood teen was fatally injured in a utility terrain vehicle (UTV) accident in McCulloch County Wednesday evening.

According to McCulloch County Chief Deputy Jon Stafford, the accident occurred on a private ranch in McCulloch County shortly before 7:00 p.m.

Stafford explained that the teens involved had been visiting another teen on his family’s ranch, hunting and doing some work on the ranch, such as weed eating and mowing.  They were riding in a Polaris Ranger when the accident occurred.

14 year-old Elias Stanke of Brownwood was sitting in a high rack seat (one built up and usually used for hunting) with a 17-year-old male from Coleman.  The vehicle was driven by a 19-year-old male, also from Coleman.

The boys were going to finish up a job that evening, when the vehicle took a curve to the right, and rolled over, according to Stafford.  Stanke was thrown out of the vehicle which rolled, landing on and fatally injuring him.  The other two teens were also injured.  The driver was air lifted to Shannon Medical Center in San Angelo with what Stafford reported were nonlife-threatening injuries.  The 17-year-old passenger was treated at the scene by EMS and taken by private vehicle to Shannon Medical Center.  The current conditions of the two surviving teens were not known at the time of Stafford’s report.

A fourth teen, who the other teens were visiting,  was following behind the UTV when the accident occurred and was reported to be uninjured, according to Stafford.

Elias Stanke was pronounced dead at the scene by McCulloch County Judge Danny Neal.  His family was notified of his death by Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper John Moody and a Brownwood Police Officer, said Stafford.

Stafford stated that the accident was very unfortunate, “It’s not like these boys were horsing around, they were behaving and out working hard, helping clean up areas of the ranch.”

McCulloch County Sheriff’s Deputy George Escobar and DPS Trooper Kody Eckert investigated the scene Wednesday.

Memorial services for Stanke will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, July 7, 2014 at Coggin Avenue Baptist Church with Tim Skaggs and Rick Cavitt officiating.  There will be a private interment.  No visitation will be held.  Services are under the direction of Blaylock Funeral Home in Brownwood.