The Associated Press reported that at least eight people died and twelve people were seriously injured Saturday night when a truck plowed into a crowd at the California 200, a race for off-highway vehicles north of Highway 247 in San Bernardino County. The crash happened at 7:51 p.m., about 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles near the Lucerne Valley.
One of the off-road racers participating in the crash, Brett M. Sloppy, 28, of San Marcos, lost control of his white truck at a spot called the "rock pile", shortly after the race started. The driver was reportedly not hurt. Witnesses described the scene as "complete chaos" and said "bodies were everywhere."
Because of the remote location of the crash, it took rescue units a half hour to reach the location. Ten emergency aircraft responded and 12 people were flown to Southern California hospitals. Victims included four men from the San Diego area, Brian Wolfin, 27, of Escondido, Anthony Sanchez, 23, of Escondido, and Aaron Farkas, 25, also of Escondido, and Michael James Dickinson, 34 of Spring Valley, and a woman from Las Vegas, Danica Frantzich, 20. Other victims were identified as Andrew Therrin, 22, of Riverside, Zachary Freeman, 24, of Fillmore and Dustin Malson, 24, of Ventura. The name of the eighth victim was not immediately released.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the 200 mile race where the accident occurred was held at Soggy Dry Lake on federal desert land just east of the San Bernardino Mountains. The only way to reach the location of the accident is via a six-mile dirt road off of California State Route 247. Some off-duty police and firefighters who were spectators at the event helped the injured and placed blankets over the deceased.
Cause of the August 14th Accident
Based on the limited information provided in news reports, the cause of this horrific crash is not clear. The California Highway Patrol has begun their investigation to see if this crash was caused by driver error or a defect in one of the vehicles. It was not evident who was the owner of the truck. The San Jose Mercury News reported that the Bureau of Land Management issued a statement saying safety was the responsibility of the race organizer, Mojave Desert Racing, based in South El Monte.
Liability for Injuries and Deaths
Spectators attending the race were not protected by barriers. The promoters of races such as the California 200 may not employ the proper amount of manpower to keep spectators a safe distance away from racing vehicles. Instead, promoters rely on federal and state land managers who are responsible for patrolling the desert. Due to high temperatures in the desert areas where races are permitted, races are often held at night. Bystanders have been killed or injured at other off-road races, including the Baja 1000 and the Dakar Rally, according to a report in the New York Times.
In situations such as this one, victims and their families would be encouraged to contact a California personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Because of unique liability issues of these type of event bystander accidents, victims and their families have only a limited amount of time to pursue compensation for their injuries or a loved one's wrongful death. If you would like to know more about your legal rights as an injured bystander or the family of someone who was killed in this crash, contact a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your potential case and rights to compensation from whoever is responsible for the accident.
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