Norris coach injured in
four-wheeler accident

Dave Carpenter, of Roca, was on a camping trip with his wife and some friends in the Nebraska National Forest near Hasley. According to a blog started by Carpenter’s family, he was riding a four-wheeler on a park trail on Monday, June 16, when he hit a tree stump, lost control of his vehicle, and was impaled on a tree in his side.

The family blog reported that Carpenter was pinned on the tree by his four-wheeler and that the branch penetrated up to four to five inches into his side.

Carpenter freed himself and started walking back to camp before he collapsed. He was found by friends about two minutes later and eventually was taken by EMS to the Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte.

Due to the isolated location of the campsite, and poor weather condtions, Carpenter could not be flown out by helicopter, and instead was put on a board and driven out on a four-wheeler while surrounded by EMTs and friends, according to the family blog.

Doctors performed surgery to fix internal bleeding. Carpenter was then transferred to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, where doctors found Carpenter had broken his left ankle, had bile leaking into his stomach and several blood clots among other injuries. Several more surgeries were conducted, according to the family’s blog.

Carpenter continues to recuperate at the UNMC in Omaha and Norris school administrators wished him a speedy recovery.

It was unclear if or when Carpenter would be ready to resume his duties as coach, but the family indicated that Carpenter continues to enjoy a fast recovery.

Last year was Carpenter’s first year coaching girls softball at Norris, taking over for Greg Hardin.