Aussie Drag Racer Charged.

Nostalgia · 21-03-2008, 05:28 PM

Hi all, I just heard that the Aussie Drag Racer involved in that street exhibition in America a while ago, where the car lost control and veered into the crowd, has been charged with 6 counts of Homicide. Can anyone confirm this. Cheers,Adam.

manny_papa · 21-03-2008, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NostalgEA

Hi all, I just heard that the Aussie Drag Racer involved in that street exhibition in America a while ago, where the car lost control and veered into the crowd, has been charged with 6 counts of Homicide. Can anyone confirm this. Cheers,Adam.

news link

Jack91 · 21-03-2008, 06:43 PM

Quote:

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

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.

I would've thought that the people running the event would be at fault for not putting up barricades. Such a shame though, not only does he have to live with that for the rest of his life, he'll most likely go to prison. Very unfortunate. It's sort of like if the captain of the Titanic survived and he got hung for causing all of the deaths.

RG · 21-03-2008, 06:59 PM

What a load of complete and utter BS. Bloody yanks

:

Of course they've sued him though, it is the American way after all.

Nostalgia · 21-03-2008, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russell

What a load of complete and utter BS. Bloody yanks

:

Of course they've sued him though, it is the American way after all.

I agree. How can they hold him responsible ? The spectators were there on their own free will and obviously knew about the lack of protective barriers. As you said Russell "Bloody yanks".

fmc351 · 21-03-2008, 07:27 PM

Its vehicular homicide, not homicide. Scary name for a charge that is less severe than manslaughter. Some similar names would be, reckless driving causing death, culpable driving etc.

It says effectively, driving a vehicle in a negligent fashion leading to death.

They have not sued him, yet. He is part of the lawsuit, joined with those others involved who failed to provide barriers, or allowed the burnout to take place absent of controls, his own responsibility will yet be determined. As I recall, many here felt while obviously very tragic and an accident, he should have known better. That failure does apply to him some degree of responsibility for his actions.

Even if the courts find they are negligent (they will IMO), the responsibility of those spectators too will factor in and reduce any compensation claim accordingly.

4Vman · 21-03-2008, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NostalgEA

I agree. How can they hold him responsible ? The spectators were there on their own free will and obviously knew about the lack of protective barriers. As you said Russell "Bloody yanks".

You can't possibly be serious..? There is clear and obvious joint neglect on the part of the organisers and driver.. to what extent will pan out in court, but the spectators, who were invited as part of a charity event, should be entitled to be properly protected..

HEMI POWER · 21-03-2008, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NostalgEA

I agree. How can they hold him responsible ? The spectators were there on their own free will and obviously knew about the lack of protective barriers. As you said Russell "Bloody yanks".

As 4Vman said your kidding right????????

protd · 21-03-2008, 08:18 PM

while i don't agree with it, he did make the choice to drive the car..

Sonik · 21-03-2008, 08:21 PM

Probably all gunna hate me for this but I think he deserved it.
If the idiot can't hold a burnout straight, why the hell was he doing it? was a standstill burnout not possible? Would have been just as impressive. I don't see why the immature idiot had to be wheelspinning at 80k's with people either side of him, happens and he should have known that.

4Vman · 21-03-2008, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sonik

Probably all gunna hate me for this but I think he deserved it.
If the idiot can't hold a burnout straight, why the hell was he doing it? was a standstill burnout not possible? Would have been just as impressive. I don't see why the immature idiot had to be wheelspinning at 80k's with people either side of him, happens and he should have known that.

This has nothing to do with his "skill"... it is about providing a safe environment to perform a demonstration, and the safe "environment" should cover the unlikely event of an "oopps" or driver error..

Sonik · 21-03-2008, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

This has nothing to do with his "skill"... it is about providing a safe environment to perform a demonstration, and the safe "environment" should cover the unlikely event of an "oopps" or driver error..

True, but I'm not sure any "protection" they could have put in place, such as water barriers, would withstand 1t of metal at full throttle 60kmph+. It may have reduced the death toll, but it was really due to the fact they didn't have the event at a drag strip that it happened.

Nostalgia · 21-03-2008, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4Vman

You can't possibly be serious..? There is clear and obvious joint neglect on the part of the organisers and driver.. to what extent will pan out in court, but the spectators, who were invited as part of a charity event, should be entitled to be properly protected..

I agree with you 4Vman, the spectators should have been properly protected but they werent and they would have been totally aware of this.

4Vman · 21-03-2008, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NostalgEA

I agree with you 4Vman, the spectators should have been properly protected but they werent and they would have been totally aware of this.

The last time this topic came up the same arguements were put forward, and i'll simply say this, a motorsport enthusiast or racing enthusiast "may" be in a position to judge the relative safety of a given 'environment" based on previous experience, and a first hand knowledge of what the demonstration entailed.. but.. 1) on this occasion it WAS NOT a motorsport audience and 2) its the organiser's and drivers responsibility to provide a safe working environment. Its no different to going to work... if a lump of iron fell off a city building and killed a pedestrian, is it the pedestrials fault for walking past the building or the worker/builders fault?

SpoolMan · 21-03-2008, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NostalgEA

I agree with you 4Vman, the spectators should have been properly protected but they werent and they would have been totally aware of this.

The organisers of this event should also be accountable to the same amount of blame.

Nostalgia · 21-03-2008, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpoolMan

The organisers of this event should also be accountable to the same amount of blame.

Exactly my point. How can they put all the blame on the Driver who was invited to the event by the organisers ?

fmc351 · 21-03-2008, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NostalgEA

Exactly my point. How can they put all the blame on the Driver who was invited to the event by the organisers ?

Because they were not driving the car, they cant be charged with vehicular homicide. They do face exposure (from quick research, Im not putting hours in) to criminal negligence, or recklessness, but I think proving the criminal elements in their case may be stretching it.

The system is likely looking into these matters and that takes more time than it takes to charge the driver, the case against the driver is much easier to establish. No, Im not saying they take the easy way out, Im saying some parts of a job can be clear before other parts are understood, but all will be done if possible. In the end, the system may be terribly disappointed it cant charge them, but their hands are tied as the law provides no means of doing so given the circumstances. Wait and see.

bigdave · 21-03-2008, 09:44 PM

i think vehicular homicide is a bit stiff,im no lawyer but AFAIK the word homicide usually indicates intent, and one would not think there was the intent to kill

Nostalgia · 21-03-2008, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fmc351

Because they were not driving the car, they cant be charged with vehicular homicide. They do face exposure (from quick research, Im not putting hours in) to criminal negligence, or recklessness, but I think proving the criminal elements in their case may be stretching it.

The system is likely looking into these matters and that takes more time than it takes to charge the driver, the case against the driver is much easier to establish. No, Im not saying they take the easy way out, Im saying some parts of a job can be clear before other parts are understood, but all will be done if possible. In the end, the system may be terribly disappointed it cant charge them, but their hands are tied as the law provides no means of doing so given the circumstances. Wait and see.

I understand. My experiences with the Courts over the last 12 months has taught me alot.

drcook · 22-03-2008, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NostalgEA

The spectators were there on their own free will and obviously knew about the lack of protective barriers".

The driver was there on his own free will and obviously knew about the lack of protective barriers. Therefore he shouldnt have participated on the grounds of (lack of) safety.

vanman_75 · 23-03-2008, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drcook

The driver was there on his own free will and obviously knew about the lack of protective barriers. Therefore he shouldnt have participated on the grounds of (lack of) safety.

and i wouldnt stand in front off a drag car. this will go round in circles it is sad for him cause he didnt want it to happen but ,it did. look at golf would you stand in front of tiger woods ? i wouldnt . but he still chooses to hit the ball .

XW_GS · 23-03-2008, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drcook

The driver was there on his own free will and obviously knew about the lack of protective barriers. Therefore he shouldnt have participated on the grounds of (lack of) safety.

I agree and as most have said,

The organizers had invited him to this event.

1. Wouldnt they themselves have instructed Critchley not to do anything that may endanger lives as there aren't any safety measures in place?

2. Critchley himself should have worked out for himself that this is no place for a lengthy burnout.

I think both Critchley and they organisers should be accountable.

If i was Critchley i,d just give the thing a few light blips just to make noise, nothing to break traction or pick up speed.

05MkIIFutura · 23-03-2008, 10:38 AM

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

Sounds alot like summernats - someone will lose their toes one day at the festival and then the same mess will be happening here.......

Burnouts + people = stupidity

BlackLS · 23-03-2008, 04:25 PM

Similar thing with the Capa utes drifting into the crowd.

Fev · 25-03-2008, 01:44 AM

can someone tell me Why THE HELL does the city of selmer need 100m? WTF DO THEY HAVE TO DO WITH IT!?!?

its a shame to see what is happening although if i was him i would not have done it in the first place, any driver pro or not can see it was a bad idea from the start..

Fev · 25-03-2008, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 05MkIIFutura

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

Sounds alot like summernats - someone will lose their toes one day at the festival and then the same mess will be happening here.......

Burnouts + people = stupidity

you mean
Burnouts + Cars + 12 hours of beer and sun + people = stupidity