6 Killed By Drag Car At Charity Festival

Race Car Lost Control In "Exhibition Burnout" And Spun Into Crowd

(CBS/AP)  There were no guard rails between the crowds of spectators and a public highway where a drag-racing car bolted out of control, killing six people during a charity fundraising event in Tennessee.

Jimmy Hollingsworth watched the accident happen. "I mean he was just going back through there, and it was like he was throwing people up like it was a deck of cards," he said.

Authorities on Sunday identified the driver as pro drag racer Troy Warren Critchley, an Australian who is now based in Wylie, Texas. He suffered minor injuries and was taken by car to a nearby hospital for treatment.

There were no criminal charges against Critchley, Browning said.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol declined to make any statement Sunday about road conditions or safety procedures during the Saturday evening parade of cars.

"It ain't really safe to do anything with drag cars on a city street," said 19-year-old spectator Garett Moore, who said he was about 15 feet away from the wreck, but was uninjured. "They shouldn't have done it."

Tennessee Highway Patrol spokesman Mike Browning said the six who were killed included two 15-year-old girls and a 17-year-old girl. The accident injured 18 others, including a 5-year-old boy, who were taken to hospitals in Tennessee and Mississippi.

Mourners placed small votive candles, flowers, a teddy bear and a ceramic angel at the crash site Sunday.

The crash happened during an "exhibition burnout" — when a drag racer spins his tires fast enough to make them smoke — at the Cars for Kids charity event in Selmer, located about 80 miles east of Memphis.

On amateur video of the crash, broadcast on WMC-TV in Memphis, the car's engine is heard revving loudly before the vehicle speeds down the highway. After a few hundred feet, the car skidded off the road in front of a drive-in restaurant.

Selmer Police Chief Neal Burks said "bodies were flying into the air when it happened."

There was a guard rail along at least part of the highway, but not along that stretch.

"As far as safety goes, from what I saw, there wasn't any," said Jeff Burk, a writer for dragracingonline.com. "This was James Dean driving off the edge of the cliff."

Drivers of other dragsters in the parade had been spinning their tires and then accelerating quickly, but everyone else put on the brakes before going past the guard rails, Moore said.

"This is definitely not the kind of road you should be drag racing on," Moore said. "This isn't a flat open surface like you have at a race track."

Nick Staples, who was at the show with his wife and three children from Columbus, Mississippi, said he was standing 20 feet from where the car plowed into the audience.

"There should have been guard rails," Staples said. "But even if there had been, it wouldn't have mattered."

The Highway Patrol said Raven Griswell, 15; and Sean Michael Driskill, 22, died at the scene. Four others — Brook L. Pope, 20; Scarlett Replogle, 15; Kimberly A. Barfield, 17; and Nicole Griswell, no age given — died later in area hospitals.

About 40,000 to 60,000 people had been expected to attend the weekend event.

After a parade of everything from antique cars to modern dragsters, Moore thought the show was over.

"I was about to head across the street, and I saw him barreling toward us," he said.

Matthew Brammer, administrator of AMS Pro Modified Series, which sanctions drag races, said Critchley had driven the car involved in the wreck in competition.

Critchley's Web site said he began his career in an engine building shop in Brisbane, Australia, in 1986, and then raced on the Australian circuit in the '90s. He moved to the United States in 1998. By late Sunday afternoon, the Web site carried a message saying it was not available.

Cars for Kids holds several events throughout the nation and raises close to $200,000 annually for charities that help children in need, according to its Web site.

A statement posted on the Web site Sunday offered an apology to the victims and their families: "The loss is deep within our hearts and we will carry the scars of each loss forever."

The charity was formed in 1990, two years after founder Larry Price's son, Chad, suffered a severe head injury in a bicycle accident. Price promised that if his son was saved from lifelong injuries, he would spend the rest of his life raising funds for disabled children, according to the Web site.

[dannyv07]

I've said it more times than you will ever know. Yes, I know the stunt was stupid. Apparently you haven't read what I have read. And why are you attacking me now?

[shammy0202]

Oh give me a break...read every post...there are a few people who have criticized the people of TN and TN itself. THEY ARE CRITICIZING THE STUPIDITY OF THE STUNT!!!!!!!!!! Do you read???? As I stated earlier in a post stupid acts can happen anywhere!!!!!!!!! As far as IQs go who cares what your IQ is. What does your IQ have to do with innocent people dying?????? I'm a nurse...does that make me any better than you???? Really sad that one of the victims was your friends...Did you say May God Bless her and all the victims and the injured. NOPE!

[dannyv07]

I'm sick of seeing all of this bashing of my town. I'm from Selmer and was personally good friends with Brooke Pope, one of the teenagers killed in the accident. You all get on here and talk about the quality of life that lives in the South. But for you to get on here and bash people in a time like this, a time where people need sympathy, not hate...well, that's just pathetic. Take a look at your own quality of life. And on the whole "STEW-PID" thing, I have a 4.0, made a 31 on the ACT, and have an I.Q. of 139...what are all of you doing with your lives? Oh wait, being heartless and talking bad about a town that has just went through a tragedy...very nice people...very nice

[shammy0202]

FARTKNOCKER2

Just your name alone shows how intelligent you are and BAAAAAAAAA....LMAO

[last121868]

Tennessee equals stupidity. We should annex it to Mexico with the other sub humans.
Posted by elgraz at 04:34 PM : Jun 17, 2007
+ report abuse
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The usual stupid antics of the south. They will never learn.They lack grey matter in their residual so called ganglia.
Posted by elgraz at 04:30 PM : Jun 17, 2007

elgraz: You are as ignorant as they come, an embarassment to this country and the human race. Get a life, and learn to live life without making STUPID remarks about an very large portion of our country. IDIOT!!

[ralan40]

If a Sharpshooter fired bullets down the parade route and accidentally killed people when the bullets strayed, he would be put away. This is no different.
This was not a freak accident. Call it "Exhibition Burnout", or whatever you like. I call it "Negligent Homicide".
A drag strip's surface is flat and treated with a coating to keep the cars in control. It is also fenced to protect spectators. This should not have happened. This 'expert driver' needs to be put away for commiting an unacceptable level of incompetence.

[shammy0202]

missut2

Your logic amazes me. I agree with factsonly2. What does any of this have to do with highway accidents. It appears to me you are really on the defensive. Are you perhaps embarrassed that this happened in your state? Tradgedy and stupid acts happen everywhere, not just in the state of TN. In reading all of the posts there are few people who have criticized the state of TN. It is in fact the act of stupidity they are criticizing. Since this was indeed a charity event for children, maybe the money if any raised should pay for the funerals of the CHILDREN that died and for the medical bills of the injured.

[factsonly2]

missut2

There "Buffoon Brigade" was probably patrolling the highways as they normally do in any state. What does a highway vehicular accident have to do with the stunt (gone bad) in your charity parade??

[factsonly2]

The act was pure stupidity, putting innocent bystander in jeopardy.

It will be interesting to see if this will be allowed in your next charity parade and if so the changes (if any) that have been made.

I say sue..pay for the funerals...the medical expenses...it was negligence and yes stupidity. At least 3 of the victims in which I have seen were teenagers. Hmmmm do you people in these comments that are so negative about suing think that the parents of these KIDS had funeral arrangments paid for??????????? My guess is no.

[missut2]

The TN Highway Patrol must be composed of Appalachian buffoons to allow this event to
proceed. Isn't there job to ensure public safety on the roadways?
Posted by MrMustard1 at 10:15 PM : Jun 17, 2007


MrMustard1 (delightful name)
I take exception to your misguided assumption that the TN Highway Patrol are "appalachian buffoons"...The THP is one of the best in the nation and we are proud of them and the work they do. This was a "charity event" and I'm not sure what you think the THP should do. Not knowing where you live, I think I can safely say that hundreds of people are killed on the highways of your state each year...so where was your "Buffoon Brigade" while this was happening??

BTW, there is nothing wrong with the Appalachian Mountains or the people that live and work here. They are beautiful and have the most visited national park...the Great Smoky Mountains. Come on down and visit sometime. You'll be amazed! But don't look for Selmer...the mountains are in EAST TN and Selmer is in WEST TN...500 miles apart.