Few Willing to Talk About Crash That Killed 8

Investigators in Prince George's County struggled to extract information yesterday from stunned and reluctant witnesses in the clandestine illegal racing community as police identified six of the eight men killed when a car plowed into a crowd at a street race early Saturday.

Authorities appealed to spectators and the two racers to come forward, stressing that the priority was to investigate not the race but the accident. By all accounts, the Ford Crown Victoria that struck the crowd was not involved in the race.

"One of the challenges is to get solid information from people who were present," Police Chief Melvin C. High said. "Sometimes it takes a little time for people to come to terms with it, and then they come forward with information."

County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) said he will meet with officials tomorrow to discuss the investigation and how to gather better intelligence on the illegal racing circuit. "It's all about prevention. It's all about preventing a tragedy like this," he said.

In addition to those killed, at least five spectators were hurt in the incident, which occurred about 3 a.m. when the white sedan drove into the crowd standing in and around Indian Head Highway in Accokeek, said Cpl. Arvel Lewis, a police spokesman.