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Pro Mod Burnout Leads to Homicide Charges
SELMER, Tennessee — Last week charges were filed against veteran drag racer Troy Critchley stemming from a June 2007 incident in Selmer, Tennessee that cost six spectators their lives.
The Australian-born Critchley lost control of his Corvette Pro Mod car while it was performing an exhibition burnout on a legally closed public road without either guardrails or concrete barriers (not a drag strip) as part of a "Cars and Kids" charity event. The Corvette veered into the crowd lined up along the road, leading to the fatalities and injuries to 22 more people, including Critchley.
This video from Reuters was issued before the true scope of the tragedy was known.
According to the AP, the indictment against Critchley consists of six counts of vehicular homicide due to recklessness, and 22 counts of reckless aggravated assault.
According to Australian media reports, Critchley's attorney, Richard Hutton of Memphis, has filed a motion for dismissal of the charges on the basis that government officials were "indispensable in causing the burnout event" since Selmer's police department (including its chief) was on hand, and two Selmer police cars had preceded Critchley's racecar down the course and told the crowd to stand back. No alcohol or drugs were found in Critchley's system at the time of the accident.
Critchley, now 38, is currently free on $35,000 bond and has been told to surrender his passport. His trial is scheduled to start in November. At least 16 civil lawsuits seeking at least $100 million in damages from Critchley, his AMS race team, the Cars For Kids charity and its officers, and the city of Selmer have also been filed.
What this means to you: The event in Selmer will likely be the last of its kind — at least on public roads. — John Pearley Huffman, Correspondent
The Australian-born Critchley lost control of his Corvette Pro Mod car while it was performing an exhibition burnout on a legally closed public road without either guardrails or concrete barriers (not a drag strip) as part of a "Cars and Kids" charity event. The Corvette veered into the crowd lined up along the road, leading to the fatalities and injuries to 22 more people, including Critchley.
This video from Reuters was issued before the true scope of the tragedy was known.
According to the AP, the indictment against Critchley consists of six counts of vehicular homicide due to recklessness, and 22 counts of reckless aggravated assault.
According to Australian media reports, Critchley's attorney, Richard Hutton of Memphis, has filed a motion for dismissal of the charges on the basis that government officials were "indispensable in causing the burnout event" since Selmer's police department (including its chief) was on hand, and two Selmer police cars had preceded Critchley's racecar down the course and told the crowd to stand back. No alcohol or drugs were found in Critchley's system at the time of the accident.
Critchley, now 38, is currently free on $35,000 bond and has been told to surrender his passport. His trial is scheduled to start in November. At least 16 civil lawsuits seeking at least $100 million in damages from Critchley, his AMS race team, the Cars For Kids charity and its officers, and the city of Selmer have also been filed.
What this means to you: The event in Selmer will likely be the last of its kind — at least on public roads. — John Pearley Huffman, Correspondent
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