tragic event-what should happen?

[wtnhunt]

For anyone who has not heard about the horrific car show at Selmer, TN over the weekend that left 6 dead and several more injured, here is a link to some video clips and the story http://www.wmcstations.com/Global/story.asp?S=6672035. My sister in law, her husband and their 4 year old daughter were at this show which took place a little over an hour from here. One family lost two daughters 19 and 15 years old . Very sad news, have to feel for those families, our thoughts and prayers go out to them and to those injured who are at hospitals in several locations.

Obviously the driver screwed up, and did not stop when he should have, in what seems to have been an attempt to further show off, but from what some are saying he did intentionally head into a utility pole to come to a stop to avoid hurting anyone else. He walked away without serious injury. At this point, the officials are not saying if charges against the driver will follow or not, but are saying it is an ongoing investigation. Really seems like to me that the driver should be held responsible for his actions, but from what the local news is reporting, that is not looking likely.

Should the driver be held accountable and charged?

[Gator]

No, he shouldn't. Someone dropped the ball by letting the spectators stand where they should have never been. But then again, he also knew the risk of what was involved. But he will live with this the rest of his life. That should be punishment enough. It's not like he was negligent in this.

[wtnhunt]

Someone dropped the ball by letting the spectators stand where they should have never been.

Thing is Jason, this event had been going on for 18 years now, the spectators had been used to being there.

It's not like he was negligent in this.

I kind of think he was. From what I am hearing, the burnout contest was never taken to a distance at the length this driver took, was always just a short distance after burning off the tires and smoking it up good and they would back off and stop, NO other driver went down the road like this guy did. The driver stayed on it after burning off the tires and continued to keep on it for a good ways. Guess the question WHY he did what he did will be a determining factor if they can ever figure it out.

[Andrea]

How horrible. Prayers going out to those families involved.

There is a dragstrip here ( Emerald Coast Dragway) that we have taken the boys to a few times. For the very reason shown on that video---I will not watch them race at the end of the strip. That is where mishaps ALWAYS happen.

We view the races from the grandstands where they take off. Anywhere else is suicidal.

That driver shouldn't be to blame I don't think. Like Jason said....whoever allows people to line up along that strip so closely is the one to be pointing the finger towards.

[Gator]

I wasn't aware of the burnout part, either I missed that, or it wasn't mentioned. Anyways, that is gonna be a hard one to call. Since it has been this way for so long, how can the guy be held responsible, know what I mean?

[wtnhunt]

There is a dragstrip here ( Emerald Coast Dragway) that we have taken the boys to a few times. For the very reason shown on that video---I will not watch them race at the end of the strip. That is where mishaps ALWAYS happen.

That is the problem here Andrea, this exhibition WAS NOT a drag race, but was a burn out exhibition on a highway. From what my sister in law's husband said, the other drivers never went more than about 50 feet, and he has been to this show before and he said he had never seen anything like that before there. This driver at 50 feet clearly seen in the video was pouring it on and not letting up. He did not seem to let off until he started to lose control. Not trying to judge the guy, and dont think he had any bad intentions by any means, just cannot understand what in the world he was doing continuing on AFTER his burnout was over like he did. He had to have known that the road was not a safe place for doing that, and had to also have known that the road would not handle like a dragstrip.

[punkinslinger]

Therein lies Murphy's Law...stuck throttle ??? If not the cause this time it could have been any year that has passed. I saw the video on the news and before I even knew what was going to take place I thought "What the **** are they thinking standing along the sides like that??" Guess that is the way my brain functions. I feel for all of those involved in this awful incident. Bless them.

[Andrea]

Well, regardless of what really caused it............because it could have been a number of things........I would never stand that close. There's always that chance that something like THAT will happen.
I mean, really..........all you need is for someone's foot to slip off the brakes while "burning out" and a tragedy could happen. I bet they don't have that little exhibition next year!!!

[wtnhunt]

I bet they don't have that little exhibition next year!!!
__________________

Press conference they had this morning the town officials said that they hope that this event will continue in the future despite what happened over the weekend.

[Andrea]

By "event" do you mean "burnouts on city streets with crowds on either side"??? If so.........well, no one learned from this tragedy. That's a shame.

[wtnhunt]

By "event" do you mean "burnouts on city streets with crowds on either side"??? If so.........well, no one learned from this tragedy. That's a shame.

Andrea, this event is called "Cars for Kids" and it raises money for a great cause. This has been going on for like 18 years now in Selmer and YES the part of the event that went wrong was a burnout contest on a section of highway that the local police officials had closed off, it was not a drag race. There was more on the news here out of Memphis a while ago. Supposed to be more on the 6 o'clock news.

[Mathews XT Man]

I think its best the investigation is completed before anyone jumps to any conclusions...

[buckee]

I had something pretty strange happen to me one time, while pulling a U-turn to park on the other side of the road to go hunting.
It happened about 18 years ago, and I was driving my 1972 Ford pickup. I pulled over to the side of the road to wait till all traffic was past me, and stepped on the gas to pull a U-turn to park on the other side. The throttle went wide open on me, and I was burnin rubber all of a sudden.
I did a little fish tailing, as I pulled the fastest U-turn of my life, and I jumped on the brakes using both feet, plus all my weight, and was burning the brakes up. It was freaky.
I was really lucky this happened from a complete stop, otherwise, I would have been in a lot of trouble. I was already across the road now, burning up the soft shoulder and my breaks, so I quickly reached down and turned off the truck.

I was pretty shaken, and couldn't figure out what the heck just happened. I hid my gun under the seat, and hitch-hiked home to call a tow-truck.
Later on, we discovered that one of my motor mounts had busted on me, at the same time I stepped on the gas and the engine rose up and leaned over, sticking the throttle wide open. There was nothing I could have done to stop this, and I'm just lucky I turned the truck off when I did.
This could be what happened to this guy....who knows.

[wtnhunt]

Dont get me wrong guys, I understand things happen. I am not saying I think he should be charged, but was asking what others thought under the circumstances. I do think he might possibly be negligent if there was not some sort of mechanical failure with the car.

Latest I heard yesterday evening the DA has not determined yet if he will file charges as the investigation is ongoing. The mother of the two sisters who were both killed in an interview last night said she thought the driver was responsible for the deaths of her two daughters.

[wtnhunt]

Here is a little more informative report for anyone interested with a little better explanation http://www.wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=6676591 .

Notice that it says

Drivers usually burn their tires for 20 to 50 feet, Price said, but Critchley went much farther before losing control.