Another Viper Accident - Driver charged with Reckless Driving

[Art 138]

Though this might be of interest to some: I got it from from Yahoo.

Crash on Colo. 9 claims one
By Susan Cunningham, Pilot & Today Staff

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

A 22-year-old Clark man died Friday morning when the car he was riding in crashed on Colorado Highway 9 about nine miles south of Kremmling.

Passenger Jeffrey Dan Harris was transported from the scene by helicopter to St. Anthony Central Hospital, where he later died because of injuries, the Colorado State Patrol reported.

The driver of the car, Daniel Robbins, suffered minor injuries. Robbins was arrested at the scene on charges of vehicular homicide, a Class 4 felony, and reckless driving.

Robbins, 30, of Phoenix, Ariz., was released Friday night from the Grand County Jail on $25,000 bond, Grand County Undersheriff Walt Eldridge said.

Robbins was driving a 2004 Dodge Viper north on Colo. 9 when he lost control and collided with a guardrail, according to the Colorado State Patrol. The crash happened at about 7:50 a.m. at milepost 128, several miles north of Green Mountain Reservoir, the State Patrol reported.

The initial investigation shows that the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed, well above the posted 65 mph speed limit, the State Patrol reported. Alcohol is not suspected to be a factor in the crash.

Colo. 9 was closed for several hours in both directions because of the size of the accident scene. The accident is under investigation.

Trooper Rick Kaspar, who is investigating the accident, could not be reached for comment.

Harris' family also could not be reached.



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[Warfang]

That's a shame. Was it anyone we know?

 

[Janni]

do we know if the passenger was wearing a seatbelt and if a rollover was involved???

 

[Art 138]

Janni: do not know; maybe someone in that state will be in a position to do some follow-up reading.

 

[Skip White]

This can happen to any of us, when spirited driving is involved, but those so young and inexperianced are so likely to have a problem such as this.

As Janni was asking about the seatbelt, or rollover, I'm very curious too.

Skip White

 

[Janni]

I think overall - the car is very safe, as witnesed by the Torquenstein crash. The weakness, I believe, is in a rollover. And no one can help you if you choose not to buckle up. Seems to be a pretty big disparity in injury between driver and passenger here - trying to figure out why.

Regardless, very sad and probably very avoidable.

 

[jdavis]

Re: Another Viper Accident - Driver charged with Reckless Driving

It is a shame to read about accidents like this. I think it makes a good case for D-C to make traction control and yaw control available on the Viper. We all can make a slip up when doing "spirited" driving and in this case a "safety net" might have saved the young man.

 

[Viper X]

Re: Another Viper Accident - Driver charged with Reckless Driving

How about a real roll bar instead of our "sport hoops". This can't be that expensive and item.

 

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

Re: Another Viper Accident - Driver charged with Reckless Driving

So Sorry for the families and friends loss. Spirited driving is in the blood of most of us or we would not have Vipers. Accidents happen that is why they are called accidents.

Speculation as to why the passenger suffered more injury serves no purpose. It was not the roll hoop's fault. Who know if any type of active stability control system would have had any impact.

We can learn our limits and our cars limits on race tracks and that will still not prevent some of us from injury.

Drive Safe!

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

Re: Another Viper Accident - Driver charged with Reckless Driving

Not neccesarily a roll over or seat belt problem. A collision with a guardrail would be on the passengers side.

 

[Janni]

Re: Another Viper Accident - Driver charged with Reckless Driving

Lee,
Understand - but unless it was the end of a guard rail, the side impact intrusion on these cars is pretty good.