Seven Killed in Street-Race Crash

by jordan | February 16, 2008 at 11:53 am | 972 views | 4 comments

Street Race Ford Mustang SVT Cobra R vs Toyota Supra

Seven have been killed and four hospitalized after a crash associated with an illegal street race. Police are unsure at the moment if the white sedan that ran into the crowd was actually involved with the race.

A car plowed into a crowd that had gathered to watch a street race on a suburban road early Saturday, killing seven people and injuring at least four, police said.

Witnesses said they had just watched two cars in the illegal street race speed past when a car without any lights on came up behind them and veered into a crowd of about 50.

"There were just bodies everywhere; it was horrible," said Crystal Gaines, 27, whose father was among the dead.

Gaines said she grabbed her child but could not help her father, William Gaines Sr., 61.

"He wasn't breathing, he wasn't moving," she said. "His body was in pieces."

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Rachel Nixon

at 14:08 on February 16th, 2008

news wanted:

I think this is an important story and would benefit from other NowPublic contributors working on it. I've flagged it as News Wanted and invite others in relevant locations to look for more evidence.

jordan

at 14:19 on February 16th, 2008

The video above is for illustration purposes; people post this stuff on Youtube, perhaps unaware that cops have Internet connections.

If you really think you're fast, rent some track time. Then it's just you, your opponent and a clock, and no pedestrians to run over. If you think your reaction time is quick enough to avoid a darting street-crosser at 100mph, you're most likely mistaken.

infomatique

at 17:16 on February 16th, 2008

This has been a major problem in Britain and Northern Ireland for many years. I am not sure what the scene is like in the Republic Of Ireland but I believe that many cross the border in both directions to undertake this activity.

I have included here an extract from a piece published by the Irish Times in 2004. You can read the rest on their website.

The boot down boys

Tony Thompson

The race is on. Jeff hits a straight section of the A127 and guns his Toyota's engine. He's up to 115 mph in seconds, tyres squealing as he skilfully weaves in and out of slower traffic all around him. Rival Craig's souped-up Peugeot is gaining fast. It flashes past Jeff as though he's standing still before screeching to a halt half a mile ahead when a battered Transit van fails to get out of the way in time.

It's 8 pm on a Saturday and scores of extreme car enthusiasts, known as modders or cruisers, are heading for Southend in Essex in a series of convoys. Their highly tuned vehicles represent the sharp end of the £3-billion-a-year car modification industry.

They are also a growing headache for police who say the cruise scene is closely linked to the fast-growing, potentially deadly street racing subculture.

Six people died and 113 were seriously injured in crashes linked to cruising and street racing in Essex in 2002, the last year for which figures are available. Police say most cruisers' cars travel at more than 100 mph on Saturday nights on the A127, which links London and the resort. One of them was clocked at 134 mph earlier this year.

Measures taken by the police include high-profile patrols and threats to seize vehicles involved in racing or dangerous driving. But they've done little to stop the rapid growth of the cruising and racing scene.

The numbers involved have been boosted particularly by more women getting involved in the scene. "I'm just a normal girl," says Nicki, 22, a bank clerk and self-confessed car nut who heads for Southend most Saturday nights. "I like my shopping and I love getting my nails done, but I like fast cars as well.

"Some of the cars here are modified for show, some are modified for go. I'm not really into the body styling side of things. I'm more into horsepower."

Nicki is not alone. While such magazines as Max Power and Fast Car tend to portray women as sex objects, more of them are turning up behind the wheel of modified cars. The website, girlracer.co.uk, is devoted to women interested in motorsport and cruising. It gets 8,500 hits a day and will launch its own magazine on the newsstands later this year.