The Bureau of Land Management has launched an "official national review" into the tragic off-road race at the at the California 200 in the Mojave Desert on Saturday that claimed the lives of 8 people and injured 12 others. The federal agency is trying to determine whether the promoter, Mojave Desert Racing of El Monte, abided by safety rules.
The deadly California injury accident happened when pickup truck driver Brett Sloppy lost control of his modified, 3,500-pound Ford Ranger after he went soaring in it off a hill known as the "rock pile." There was no guardrail to block his vehicle from rolling into the crowd at a high speed. One man described the wreckage as a "blood zone," while hundreds of onlookers were witness to the tragedy. Six people died at the crash site and it was over half an hour before rescuers could arrive to the remote area that is only reachable via a rutted dirt road.
Although fans are supposed to stay 100 feet away and on just one side of the track, these safety restrictions were not upheld. Video footage from the deadly California pickup truck wreck shows that the crowd was lining the track.
Killed in the California off-road race accident were Brian Wolfin, 27, Andrew Therrin, 22, Zachary Freeman, 24, Dustin Malson, 24, Aaron Farkas, 25, Anthony Sanchez, 23, Danica Frantzich, 20, and an 8th victim. Carty was not injured during the accident.
Off-road racing tends to be a largely unregulated sport to begin with, but there are still important safety rules that should be followed. Failure to enforce safety regulations and eliminate hazards can increase the risks of injury and accident.
Federal agency to probe deadly accident at California 200, Los Angeles Times, August 16, 2010
Off-Road Racing Accident Kills 8, Prompts Safety Concerns, ABC News, August 16, 2010
Off-road racer rolls truck into crowd, killing 8, AP/Google, August 15, 2010
Related Web Resources:
Bureau of Land Management
Our San Bernardino County injury lawyers represent clients that have been injured during events held on another party's premise. Failure to provide adequate security and/or follow safety regulations are two examples of reasons why someone might have cause to file a San Bernardino County personal injury complaint.
