Federal and state laws do not prohibit a 16-year old from operating heavy equipment. However the incident warrants review. The July 5 incident, which occurred three-quarters of a mile south of Pomona on Colorado Road, is under investigation by the the county for negligence.
Many parents are understandably nervous about their teen-agers driving an automobile.
Even fewer would be comfortable with their teens operating heavy road construction equipment. The 16-year old male was apparently uninjured in the accident, except for a bumped knee. He was working for the city's Ottawa Youth Work Program, but was actually reporting to the county for his daily work assignments. Like many businesses, the county is shorthanded on employees. Despite a labor shortfall, the county should have been more cautious about having a youth operate a roller, even under adult supervision.