A 20-year-old Lucasville man died Sunday evening in a crash of an ATV he was driving.

Joseph S. Spencer was riding the four-wheeler east on Waddell Road just before 6:45 p.m. when he failed to negotiate a curve to his left, according to a report on the accident by the Portsmouth Post of the Ohio State Highway patrol.

Spencer was ejected from the ATV and landed in the asphalt roadway. The four-wheeler ran off the right side of the road and struck a tree.

Spencer was not wearing a helmet, the accident report said, and he died of his injuries at the scene.

He was later pronounced dead by Dr. Wayne Wheeler, chief deputy coroner for Scioto County Coroner Dr. Terry Johnson.

Wheeler said he did not know if a helmet would have prevented Spencer’s death or not, but would certainly have given him a chance of surviving such a crash.

“Dr. Johnson has long been an advocate of riders of ATVs, as well as motorcycles, wearing helmets for head protection,” Wheeler said.

The crash remains under investigation by the patrol.

G. SAM PIATT can be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 236.