Aussie Drag Racer Troy Critchley In Fatal Crash

[RegSpec]

Queensland racer Troy Critchley, now based in Texas,was involved in a fatal crash in Tennessee yesterday.

While performing a burnout routine to aid a children's charity Troy's car went out of control and into the crowd

Our hearts go out to all involved.

http://www.wmcstations.com/Global/story.asp?S=6668755

Edited 18/06/07 08:16 AM by BionicXR6T

[RegSpec]

God, it just gets worse......7 fatalities now

[Laner]

it was a shocking accident, you have to feel for all involved, including those who had to witness this up close

[tab]

Shocking accident, but I thought it was only the middle eastern countries that allowed spectators to line the road???

No farkin way I'd be standing there without a lump of concrete protecting me.

Edited 18/06/07 08:45 AM by tab

[cobrav8]

Very sad, so many families would be devastated.

I have been to events,demonstartions etc -and thought 'they shouldnt be doing that'.

The worst - I saw a guy crash through a car as part of a stunt, and then the steering broke, the car veered off and crahsed slowly into the crowd as the driver had ducked down while smashing through the car - completely avoidable.

They were lucky in that case - just broken bones.

I love car racing - but people and cars do not mix - they shouldnt have had drag cars so close to the crowd.

[Johnny G]

Pretty much with Victor Bray when he was interviewed - it looks very much like something went horribly wrong with the car... film showed the car doing a burn out then it just kept going with what appears to be a throttle lock on. NOT a Troy C act at all - this guy is super safe and at the top of the tree for talent. What a tragedy - our heart goes out to the poor people affected by so many deaths. Goes to show - we continue to learn lessons about the respect man needs to give machine.

Edited 18/06/07 10:11 AM by Johnny G

[Dagabond]

CRIMINAL charges have been filed against an Australian-born professional drag racer whose Corvette ploughed into a car show crowd in Tennessee last June, killing six people and injuring 22 others.

Troy Critchley, 37, has been charged with six counts of vehicular homicide due to recklessness and 22 counts of reckless aggravated assault, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

Critchley was indicted during a March 4 grand jury session but the charges remained under seal until today.

The Queenslander, who now lives in Texas, attended a court hearing today and posted $US35,000 ($38,400) bond, surrendering his passport.

Trial was set for November 3.

Critchley, who moved to the US a decade ago and earned the nickname "The Burnout King" from American motoring fans, was one of the star attractions at the 18th Annual Cars for Kids charity event in the Tennessee town of Selmer.

Critchley was performing a "burnout" routine - spinning the tyres to send up clouds of smoke - when his car crashed into spectators at a charity event on June 16 in Selmer, about 130 km east of Memphis.

The burnout was staged on a city street with no protective barriers between the dragster and hundreds of spectators on both sides.

Many of those hurt were seriously injured.

Amateur video footage showed Critchley's high-performance Corvette crashing into the crowd.

Critchley and his lawyer, Robert Hutton of Memphis, declined to comment as they left court today.

Selmer Police Chief Neil Burks testified at today's hearing that the Cars for Kids event was organised and handled the same way as in previous years.

He said people were asked to step back from the street.

Critchley, who filed for bankruptcy protection after the accident, testified that he had been working but had not driven in a race since the crash.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol, which investigated the crash, issued a statement saying authorities interviewed more than 250 witnesses, including Critchley and his mechanics, and a specialty team reconstructed the crash scene.

Routine blood tests showed Critchley had no drugs or alcohol in his system at the time of the crash, the statement said.

Since a city street is higher in the middle to promote drainage, a vehicle performing a burnout would be more likely to lose control there than on a flat racetrack, the patrol said.

If Critchley escapes conviction, he will still have to contend with civil legal action.

At least 16 civil lawsuits have already been filed against Critchley, his racing team, the Cars for Kids organisation, Cars for Kids founder Larry Price and the city of Selmer seeking more than $US100 million ($108 million) in damages.

Relatives of victims and people who were hurt claim in lawsuits that Critchley was driving recklessly.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23411096-2,00.html

Damn shame for all involved.

[Trish]

You just get that sick feeling. So very sad. Words don't seem to cut it.

[TOM1111]

100million in damages against him

it was a tradgic accident but I dont know if he can be blamed for the lack of safety measures taken

[ZAP]

No one will win from this.

But as the driver, he should have either done a smaller display due to the close proximity of the spectators or not done it at all.

I have seen the footage and he is giving it way to much for the conditions.

He is negligent for his actions as the organisers are for not providing suitable barriers and crowd control.