Street racing blamed in death of driver

Opusguy · 08-04-2003, 11:51 PM

Street racing blamed in death of driver

By Jen Lawson
LAS VEGAS SUN

A 31-year-old man was killed and a bystander was seriously hurt when police say a street racer crashed and burned near the Hurricane Bar and Grill in southern Las Vegas early this morning.

The dead man and two other drivers had been inside the bar just before the race, Metro Police said. Shortly after 1 a.m., the three men got into their cars to race down Bermuda Road, Detective Corey Moon said.

A group of people came out of the bar to cheer them on as the three cars sped down Bermuda toward Cactus Avenue, Moon said. Someone living in the area called police to report a disturbance.

The man who died had been behind the wheel of his new Nissan described by Moon as "the new Fast and Furious car." After about a quarter-mile of racing, he lost control of his car, Moon said.

"We have no idea at this point why he lost control, other than high speeds," he said.

The Nissan went onto the sidewalk and hit a bystander, breaking the bystander's legs, Moon said. The car burst into flames after hitting two light poles, a fire hydrant, a water utility box, three or four trees, and a U-Haul truck at a nearby storage facility, Moon said.

The Clark County coroner's office had not identified the dead racer this morning.

The two other racers left the area after the crash, and may be charged with felony reckless driving, Moon said. One of the drivers later returned to the scene with a beer in his hand, he said.

Two bar employees refused to comment on the crash this morning.

"There's no story here," a man who poked his head out of the door said.

The victim had just bought his Nissan a month ago, Moon said.

"It's a race car in a box," he said. "We have these individuals buying high performance cars and they don't have experience driving them. They don't know how the car handles."

The posted speed limit along the stretch of road where the crash occurred is 35 mph. Police had not yet settled on an estimated speed for the dead man's car, but it is believed to be far above the speed limit.

Workers with the Las Vegas Valley Water District were repairing the water lines damaged by the crash this morning. They said there was a few thousand dollars worth of damage to the water district equipment and lines.

Drag racing is a problem in the south part of Las Vegas because it has wide streets and few houses, police said.

"People with their fast cars go down there and drive as fast as they want," Moon said. "It's such a big area ... It's a problem we try to address."

Metro has used special enforcement programs to try to stop illegal street racing in that part of the city.

This is the second street racing-related fatality in Las Vegas this year, police said. An 18-year-old bicyclist was struck and killed June 13 by two racers while pedaling across Karen Avenue near Malibu Street in a crosswalk.

Street racing isn't limited to Las Vegas, however. In the past year, three people have been killed in North Las Vegas.

Last week, a 16-year-old driver engaged in a street race and his 15-year-old passenger were injured when they were thrown from a car near Cheyenne High School in North Las Vegas. The 16-year-old suffered head injuries.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway started a program last year called "Midnight Mayhem" designed to attract illegal street racers and other amateurs to a safer environment. However, the racers continue to use the streets.

An ordinance was adopted last month in San Diego -- a city with a significant street racing problem -- making it illegal to watch a street race. Local officials are working on getting a similar "spectator ordinance" passed in Clark County.

Sun reporter

I'm seeing more and more of these articles lately. If your gonna street race just be carefull, don't wanna read abt anyone on one of these boards.

LocoLT1 · 08-05-2003, 12:41 AM

"It's a race car in a box," he said. "We have these individuals buying high performance cars and they don't have experience driving them. They don't know how the car handles."

Gotta love the goofy things the law says

Yea, blame the car. Don't blame the lone moronic driver. So everyone else with whatever model Nissan he had will do the same.

Then they bring the friggen movie into it again. What a joke

This country is so f'd up I don't think it can ever recover...

mkbuker · 08-05-2003, 01:08 AM

I pray for the familys of the victims.

Again its been said many times before Street Racing KILLS, take it to a track.

Matt · 08-05-2003, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Opusguy

The man who died had been behind the wheel of his new Nissan described by Moon as "the new Fast and Furious car.".

The new Fast and the Furious car? LOL!

ANyways, that sucks. Street racing is dumb, I used to do it all time. Getting pulled over while racing and not getting charged at all wokle me up quick. I don't feel like getting my car impounded.

SkittleOnChrome · 08-05-2003, 02:08 PM

Opusguy:
there's no such thing as "being careful" when Street Racing..**** happens. It could be on a open stretch of road 10 lanes wide w/no one around, and somethin bad could still happen.
People always want to blame "TFATF or 2F2F", but street racing has been going on for over 10 years...only thing is, now you've got anybody in anything trying race! But still..it's stupid, pointless and leads to nothin but trouble

Whelan · 08-05-2003, 03:34 PM

So this guy had a Skyline?

If he did I wonder what the other guys had in order to compete in a race.

I have yet to see a Skyline but I am sure they are around somewhere since they do have to be imported. Probably more common in CA since MotoRex is out there and do the only importing of the car.

Again though SR is dumb and ridiculous. Tracks are the best way to go and prove more.

Anony00GT · 08-06-2003, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkittleOnChrome

...but street racing has been going on for over 10 years...only thing is, now you've got anybody in anything trying race! But still..it's stupid, pointless and leads to nothin but trouble

10 years? Try like 60 years dude.

That ****ing movie has every high school kid convinced that he's a "street racer, yo" and that his little 4-banger POS is a race car

monkeyracing · 08-06-2003, 06:12 PM

Street racing has been around since long before the dawn of the production automobile in the 1880's. It's half the reason licensing was established in the first place.

Before that, people raced their horses, and carts.

There ain't nothing new here, it's just in the public eye right now, and more dangerous than ever.

Jim

SC2_GT · 08-06-2003, 07:30 PM

I think that the punisment for street racing should be a lot harsher than it is now. It should be a felony and you should spend a signifigant amout of time in jail, you should lose you car, and you should lose all your rights to ever getting a licence again if you are caught. Take it to a track, pay your $10 or $20 and race all you want in a safe/closed environment.

ericB · 08-06-2003, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LocoLT1

"It's a race car in a box," he said. "We have these individuals buying high performance cars and they don't have experience driving them. They don't know how the car handles."

Gotta love the goofy things the law says

Yea, blame the car. Don't blame the lone moronic driver.

he did blame the driver, numbnuts. he said the driver didn't have the experience and didn't know how the car handles. how is that blaming the car?

reading comprehension isn't your strong suit, is it?