Crash of Speeding Ferrari Kills Mixed Martial Arts Figure - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Fitz · #1 03-12-2009, 10:35 AM

Unbelievable wreckage! I never understood this guy's schtick with the costume and makeup but his company has done a great deal for MMA.

More photos at: http://msn.foxsports.com/boxing/pgStory?contentId=9323124#sport=MMA/Boxing&photo=9324680

Quote:

Crash of Speeding Ferrari Kills Mixed Martial Arts Figure

He was a former lawman who called himself "Mask" and advocated a hold-nothing-back lifestyle that helped transform mixed martial arts fighting into a craze and turned his own fighting apparel company into a multimillion-dollar business.

Before dawn Wednesday on a long, straight stretch of road in Newport Beach, Charles Lewis was killed when his red Ferrari collided with a white Porsche in an accident so violent that the red sports car was ripped in half and his female passenger was hurled into the street.

Police said the two cars appeared to have been traveling side by side at a high rate of speed at 12:57 a.m. on Jamboree Road near the Upper Newport Bay when they collided. Officers said they are investigating whether the drivers were racing.

The Porsche driver, identified as Jeffrey David Kirby, 51, of Costa Mesa, was arrested after allegedly abandoning his car on a side street near the collision and taking off on foot with his female passenger. Kirby is being held on suspicion of felony drunk driving and driving under the influence. Bail is set at $2 million.

Kirby's passenger, Lynn Marie Nabozny, 32, of Newport Beach, was arrested for public intoxication and later released. The motion picture database imdb.com lists a Lynn Marie Nabozny as having acted in the 1997 television series "The Heartbreak Cafe."

Lewis' passenger remained in critical condition at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana.

Before he broke into the mixed martial arts scene, Lewis, 45, was a San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy who worked at the Central Detention Center in downtown San Bernardino from December 1996 to May 1998.

The Ferrari had "confidential plates" registered with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department because Lewis was a former deputy.

According to Orange County Superior Court records, Kirby has been cited for at least eight traffic violations since 2001, including a conviction for driving under the influence in which he was sentenced to three years' probation.

In the 2001 drunk driving arrest, Kirby allegedly told the arresting officer that his father was a retired CHP patrolman who always advised him to never submit to a sobriety test. He also told the officer that "he shouldn't be picking on people with money," according to the police report.

At TapouT offices in San Bernardino County, the secretary who answered the phone was in tears. The company's Web page was updated during the day to acknowledge the death of "our beloved friend, brother and co-founder."

TapouT spokesman Adam Feigen said Lewis and co-founder Dan "Punkass" Caldwell started TapouT in 1997, selling T-shirts out of the trunks of their cars at mixed martial arts shows to earn gas money. Fight promoter T. Jay Thompson recalled having to pick up hotel costs for the two men so they could sell their shirts at the shows.

As mixed martial arts exploded in recent years, TapouT became the apparel of choice for many fighters. TapouT was the exclusive apparel used in the Ultimate Fighting Championship's popular reality fighting television series on Spike TV, "The Ultimate Fighter."

"Everyone's going to miss him," said Ultimate Fighting superstar Chuck Liddell, who said he was looking forward to seeing Lewis at his upcoming fight next month in Montreal. "He had a great personality and he was at all the shows."

Lewis' infectious personality was captured for two seasons on the Versus reality show, "TapouT," in which Lewis and his partners traveled the country seeking mixed martial art's next star. A third season was about to begin filming.

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-me-ferrari-crash12-2009mar12,0,3811499.story

Mistress · #2 03-12-2009, 10:48 AM

you can see the blood on the post....It was a 1977 Porche I would like to see photos of that one. May he rest in peace.

Carleton Hughes · #3 03-12-2009, 10:59 AM

Another guy with a death wish who lived fast and died fast,rest his Soul.

Judging by the pics he certainly was mixed quite well.

pwogaman · #4 03-12-2009, 10:59 AM

As my high school driver's education teacher used to like to say, "Speed doesn't kill, its the change in speed."

Carleton Hughes · #5 03-12-2009, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwogaman

As my high school driver's education teacher used to like to say, "Speed doesn't kill, its the change in speed."

Oh,speed kills alright,so does acid,horse,coke,pot and that 'ol fave,alkyhol.

Hatterasguy · #6 03-12-2009, 11:06 AM

Street racing can be fun, but thats what happens when it goes wrong. Live fast, die fast.

Crash's like this are always in the back of the mind anytime I'm fooling around on the highway, it can happen.

WVOtoGO · #7 03-12-2009, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

... it can happen.

Yep - But not nearly as easy as it can be prevented.

Carleton Hughes · #8 03-12-2009, 11:10 AM

Imagine driving a thin-tired car with only rear wheel cable brakes at 85 mph on the Parkway and a modern car looks like child's play.

aklim · #9 03-12-2009, 11:22 AM

From what I am reading, this was nice and clean. He died quickly and doing something he liked to do. Good for him. I hope to die someday quickly right when I get done with some hottie when it is my time to go.

Carleton Hughes · #10 03-12-2009, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

From what I am reading, this was nice and clean. He died quickly and doing something he liked to do. Good for him. I hope to die someday quickly right when I get done with some hottie when it is my time to go.

Die like Rockefeller.

Dee8go · #11 03-12-2009, 11:56 AM

It doesn't seem like you see many Ferraris that are just in "fender benders." When they're in wrecks, there's usually nothing but a debris field left.

Hatterasguy · #12 03-12-2009, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carleton Hughes

Imagine driving a thin-tired car with only rear wheel cable brakes at 85 mph on the Parkway and a modern car looks like child's play.

That sounds like fun, I bet you slide around some of the corners.

pwogaman · #13 03-12-2009, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dee8go

It doesn't seem like you see many Ferraris that are just in "fender benders." When they're in wrecks, there's usually nothing but a debris field left.

Those rims still look good.

Carleton Hughes · #14 03-12-2009, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

That sounds like fun, I bet you slide around some of the corners.

The way one drives a vintage sportscar with rear wheel brakes is primarily with the steering assisted with the brakes.

You approach a turn and must slow down...fast gear changes are out of the question so you immediately cock the wheel,the car seems to fishtail out of control so you simultaneously hit the brakes with your foot and the hand lever and achieve directional stability by deftly turning the wheel while braking which compensates with a shaking chassis and a deafening squeal,the powerful,long stroke engines have such enormous torque that downshifting is rarely necessary except when approaching hills.

Once you have established directional stability you hit the accelerator while still in the turn and essentially speed out of it.

Mistress · #15 03-12-2009, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pwogaman

As my high school driver's education teacher used to like to say, "Speed doesn't kill, its the change in speed."

Was that Mrs. Krubopal?