Drag racer kills 4 in parade!

[Mad1]

This is just tragically stupid.
Mad1
Jeremy
http://cmsimg.tennessean.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DN&Date=20070617&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=706170387&Ref=V3&Profile=1006&MaxW=525&MaxH=390&title=1
The aftermath of a vehicle accident is seen Saturday in Selmer, Tenn. A drag-racing vehicle lost control during a parade and spun into a crowd of bystanders on Saturday, killing four people and injuring up to 15, authorities said.

http://cmsimg.tennessean.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=DN&Date=20070617&Category=NEWS01&ArtNo=706170387&Ref=AR&Profile=1006&MaxW=525&MaxH=390&title=1
A police officer, left, consoles a rescue worker Saturday in Selmer, Tenn., at the scene of an accident.

Alternate story from Nashville paper. (http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070617/NEWS01/706170387)

Car in Tenn. parade hits crowd, kills 4

SELMER, Tenn. — A drag-racing vehicle lost control during a parade and spun into a crowd of bystanders Saturday night, killing four adults and injuring up to 15 people, authorities said.

Investigators were trying to determine what caused the vehicle to careen into the crowd at the Cars for Kids charity event in Selmer, located about 80 miles east of Memphis.

Witness Scott Henley said the vehicle started burning off its tires, then began to fishtail and slammed into a light pole before spinning around into the audience.

Selmer Police Chief Neal Burks said, "bodies were flying into the air when it happened."

Tennessee Highway Patrol spokesman Mike Browning said at least eight people were taken to three hospitals.

The identities of the victims and the driver, or the driver's condition, were not immediately known.

Browning said the vehicle has been described as a drag-racing car, but he did not have more details yet about the vehicle.

Sheriff's officials and police began to close the festival shortly after the accident. About 40,000 to 60,000 people were expected to attend the weekend event.

Cars for Kids holds several events throughout the nation and raises close to $200,000 annually for charities that help children in need, according to its Web site.

The charity was formed in 1990, two years after founder Larry Price's son, Chad, suffered a severe head injury in a bicycle accident.

Price promised that if his son was saved from lifelong injuries, he would spend the rest of his life raising funds for disabled children, according to the Web site.

Price could not be reached for comment Saturday night.

[blackf0rk]

Obviously no one thought that sticking a drag car (which are known to blow up and lose control at any moment) into a crowd of people and proceed to do a burnout might be a bad idea.

I think the parade idea was a little wacko, but whoever approved the burnout thing (whether it was just the driver or someone else) was a complete wack-job.


Investigators were trying to determine what caused the vehicle to careen into the crowd

Um, idiocy and horsepower.

I am really baffled however that the driver of this thing (which most pro, or semi-pro drag racers are very tight on) didn't have enough sense to NOT involve himself in the potentially deadly (and proven true) situation.

[gmtech]

Selmer is about 15 min away from me..glad i wasnt there ....yes it is a tradegy but i think it is harsh to say "idiotic"..this was no "street race"..this was a fund raiser for kids that had been done annually for years ..ACCIDENTS happen..no one is perfect

[superford3]

Selmer is about 15 min away from me..glad i wasnt there ....yes it is a tradegy but i think it is harsh to say "idiotic"..this was no "street race"..this was a fund raiser for kids that had been done annually for years ..ACCIDENTS happen..no one is perfecti agree ,how many of us on this board have done a burn out or raced someone that pulled up next to you ,we all screw up every now and then ,it just sucks when stuff like this happens.

[Mike Poore]

It's really tragic, but let's see the results of the investigation and get some facts, before reaching conclusions.

It was no less tragic, in the New York, Macy's parade, when one of those giant balloons hit a light pole and a spectator was killed by the falling debris.

How about when the Blue Angels put one into a crowd?

In all the above cases, the deaths were caused by accidents ...there was no malicious intent, nor, in my opinion should we stop having or attending sponsored events, because someone could get injured.

[Bluerauder]

Death toll now up to seven :(
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++
Tenn. Car Crash Death Toll Rises
By WILL YORK, Associated Press Writer
33 minutes ago

SELMER, Tenn. - Three more people have died after a drag-racing car went out of control and careened into a crowd of spectators, raising the death toll to seven, state officials said Sunday.

The crash occurred Saturday night during an "exhibition burnout" _ when a driver spins his tires to make them heat up and smoke _ at the Cars for Kids charity event in Selmer, located about 80 miles east of Memphis.

Tennessee Highway Patrol spokesman Mike Browning said the seven who died included a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old. At least eight people were taken to hospitals and several others had minor injuries, he said.

Amateur video of the crash, broadcast on WMC-TV in Memphis, showed the car's engine revving loudly before the vehicle sped down a highway lined with spectators on both sides. After a few hundred feet, the smoking car skidded off the road.

There was a guard rail along at least part of the highway, but state officials could not immediately say if the spectators were standing behind the rail where the crash occurred.

The identities of the victims and the driver were not immediately released.

Mourners placed small votive candles at the crash site early Sunday.

Witness Scott Henley said the vehicle started burning off its tires, then fishtailed and slammed into a utility pole before spinning around into the audience.

Selmer Police Chief Neal Burks said "bodies were flying into the air when it happened."

"I saw body parts flying everywhere," said witness Sean Hood.

Browning said the vehicle was a drag-racing car, but he did not have details.

Matthew Brammer, administrator of AMS Pro Modified Series, which sanctions drag races, said late Saturday that the car involved has been driven by drag racer Troy Critchley, of Wylie, Texas, but he did not know if Critchley was driving when the car struck the crowd.

The AMS Pro Modified Series later issued a news release saying the driver was a veteran of more than 20 years in drag racing and had to be taken to an emergency room.

The release said the driver was performing a burnout when road conditions caused the car to go out of control.

"The race team is in shock and deeply saddened by this unexpected event. Their hearts and prayers are with the injured people and their families," the release said.

Sheriff's officials and police closed the festival shortly after the crash. About 40,000 to 60,000 people were expected to attend the weekend event.

Cars for Kids holds several events throughout the nation and raises close to $200,000 annually for charities that help children in need, according to its Web site.

The charity was formed in 1990, two years after founder Larry Price's son, Chad, suffered a severe head injury in a bicycle accident.

Price promised that if his son was saved from lifelong injuries, he would spend the rest of his life raising funds for disabled children, according to the Web site.

Price could not be reached for comment Saturday night

[CRUZTAKER]

It's clear in these videos that this dumb ass did not do a burnout....he launched and ran the car down a road with no gaurd rails.

Stupid.:stupid:

http://www.wmcstations.com/Global/story.asp?S=6669328

[Rider90]

It's clear in these videos that this dumb ass did not do a burnout....he launched and ran the car down a road with no gaurd rails.

Stupid.:stupid:

http://www.wmcstations.com/Global/story.asp?S=6669328
Real, real, stupid.

It's a shame so many people had to pay for his stupidity.

[Mad1]

It's pretty clear from the video that this was not a typical parade accident or burnout gone awry.

It looked like a hair-brained drag race run down a city street lined with spectators at the curb. It's not clear if that was the intent of the organizers, but you can almost hear the lawyers beginning their billable hours.

I imagine that the event organizers, town, driver/owner, and most likely the charity, will now find themselves in court over this tragedy for years to come as the insurers and relatives demand someone be held accountable for the actions that led to the deaths.

Perhaps someone whose been to this event before can shed some light on how the event was supposed to run or if this type of behavior is indicative of past events.

Jeremy
Mad1

[sailsmen]

Looked like an exhibition run to me.

I don't know how the driver could say it was not an exhibition run. Looks like 100% of the negligence is on the driver.

Unless someone ran out in front of him he has problems defending this.

[RCSignals]

Looks like this was not an accident. An accident is an unavoidable event.

Few events like this labeled as 'accidents' truely are 'accidents'

[CRUZTAKER]

I have had several ops for burnouts at the request of organizers. Once a newspaper reporter, and even a city Mayor.:cool:

I NEVER launch. I use the line lock, and stay in place.
A wheel block would be even safer, but....forward acceleration in a crown is just asking for trouble.

[grampaws]

Foolish. When I first heard it I thought it was a smoke show.
But When I see the driver actually launch the car in the crowded
street .That is really stupid ..
The news clip states the drag up the strip is done yearly>so the
organizers did this it was only a matter of time!!

[larryo340]

It's a situation that the victims should not have suffered. I believe it was due to both the driver launching the car, and the organizers letting people stand on front sides of car. I can't say STUPID loud enough!! I guess they don't watch the NHRA (events both pro and regular people) to see guardrails, cement walls between cars and spectators so this AVOIDABLE accident is less likely to occur. No settlement could be enough for loss of family member, I feel for each and every one of them.

[CBT]

A tragic event at a great charity, the organizer was profiled on one of the speed channel shows, and true to form, he was in his faded blue farmers overalls. They had that guy known as "The Arsonist" paint flames on a '66 street/strip Impala that they were going to auction at the charity if I remember correctly. Sad to see this happen. I've been to Selmer many times, grew up around there.

[knine]

Watch the video, http://www.wmcstations.com/Global/story.asp?S=6669328 as the car goes by, you see a guy in farmer overalls walking in the street as the car goes by and the camera pans (after reading CBT's last post, I hope it wasn't the "organizer"). What type of event launches a car like this with people walking in the street. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS BEHAVIOR. PERIOD. This wasn't an "accident", this was negligence in my opinion. Now there are 6 dead (revised down from 7) including 3 little girls. Just plain ******ing stupid. I don't need to wait for an investigation to form an opinion after watching that video. Fast car, people walking in it's path, no crowd control resulting in fatalities.:mad2:

[Vortex]

Sure looks like an exhibition run to me too. Just plain nuts. I feel bad for everybody, including the guy who is going to have to live with it the rest of his life. Calls to mind even at a drag strip there are no gaurantees; I was at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis a few years back and during the Checker Cragen Shucks (or whatever it is) funny car made their pass the blower popped a belt and the "blow out cover" came flying over to the fence like a frisbee at high speed stopping right at my feet. Running a full tilt drag racing car on the street is negligent to say the least.

[DefyantExWife]

I'm speechless. 3 little girls now ? I cant even imagine....

I'd have pulled that bastard out of the car and killed him with my bare hands if he clipped my kid.

[TooManyFords]

There's a term for this...

"Thinning the herd"

[Zack]

That really sucks.

Being a professional of the sport, I have a hard time believing the driver would have done a burnout for that long and far with that many people around.

Is it possible the throttle stuck? I have to give him the benefit of the doubt until the investigation concludes.
And Im sure if the organizers instructed the driver to do the burnout for that length, the script is off being burned as we speak.

[Meteorite]

Is it possible the throttle stuck? I have to give him the benefit of the doubt until the investigation concludes.
I was thinking that, too. But it seemed like he was on the gas long enough to have reached the kill switch. I'm afraid that he really did intend to launch it. But maybe he did try to back out early and the throttle stuck.

I'm really sad about this whole event. My parents even wrote to me about it, because they know I take my son to see drag races, and sometimes run the Marauder down the 1320. I had to reassure them that my car is not anything like a Pro Mod, and that I don't street race. And I was supposed to bring a friend of my son's with us to Pinks All Out at the end of the month. Good luck getting the kid's mom to okay that now!

My prayers are with all the families involved.

[magindat]

That really sucks.

Being a professional of the sport, I have a hard time believing the driver would have done a burnout for that long and far with that many people around.

Is it possible the throttle stuck? I have to give him the benefit of the doubt until the investigation concludes.
And Im sure if the organizers instructed the driver to do the burnout for that length, the script is off being burned as we speak.

I saw this on CNN this AM. 6 were dead at that time. 3 in critical. They interviewed the driver's friends. All said parade had been doing this for like 18 years and the driver was like a 25 year veteran (may have those reversed).

Just cuz something has been done without event for a long time, does not mean that event can't happen. According to CNN, folks were already looking to blame someone.

Like Zack says, I think the throttle stuck or some such similar mechanical failure. No way an experienced driver did this on purpose.

I just hope they don't pin it on someone. It's not he driver's fault. It's not the organizer's fault (they'd been doing this for years). It's not the crowd's fault. It's tragic and kinda stupid. Problem is, EVERYONE involved was kinda stupid.

Sad that lives were lost.

[magindat]

Good luck getting the kid's mom to okay that now!

OK, there's a difference. Public street = bad. Sanctioned track = concrete barriers and proper safety guidelines and tech inspection = good.

[Meteorite]

OK, there's a difference. Public street = bad. Sanctioned track = concrete barriers and proper safety guidelines and tech inspection = good.
Of course, you are correct. But the mom won't know that.

[Breadfan]

Wow, when I first read this early Sunday morning I was under the impression it happened at a drag strip at a race event, NOT in a parade...looks as though I misread it at first...wow...

[knine]

Is it possible the throttle stuck?

Not unless the throttle stuck annually for the past few years. Plus, he shifts instead of hitting the kill. Watching the video, he was on it until it started to loose track, at about the time he got to the guy with the overalls. The guy with the overalls feet are in motion (watch the ankles in the video). I'm thinking it's more of a situation he thought or did see someone walk in front of him and he shut it down and tried to steer around them. Unfortunatly, at that speed, steering is not an option.

The name of one of the other fatality victims was released, it's the sister of another teenage victim. 4 teeneage girls, one 20 year old girl and a 22 year old boy are the current list of fatalities with some victims listed from fair to critical condition.