Street drag racing takes its toll in Horseheads New York...

[Pastore]

My home town, a rinky dink town Horseheads New York has just had a tragedy last night when one person has died, and one is left in serious condition in ICU... I was friends with the person who died...



<< Passenger dies during drag race in Horseheads

Police said a 19-year-old Cayuta man died Monday night when the car in which he was riding crashed during a drag race on Old Ithaca Road in the town of Horseheads.

Daniel Paradis of Morrell Road was a passenger in a car driven by Matthew Zurcher, 19, of Belaire Drive, Horseheads. According to New York State Police, Zurcher's and another vehicle were racing side by side and southbound on Old Ithaca Road at about 10:37 p.m.

Zurcher's vehicle, which was in the northbound lane, swerved to avoid oncoming traffic and struck a vehicle that was parked in front of 167 Old Ithaca Road, police said.

Paradis was pronounced dead at the scene by Chemung County Medical Examiner Dr. Douglas McKane. >>



It really hits hard when it happens in your own town and you know the people involved...

What the article doesn't say is that it was a club of street racers that consisted of about 20 cars...

After the accident, all of the racers fled, and NONE are going to get charged...

 

[OS]

That reminds me, I was driving up this street today minding my own business when this low rider truck comes charging up at me and swerves around me. A few seconds later, this '70s muscle car comes screaming after it and he too swerves around me. Good thing neither of them hit me.

 

[OS]

<< When racing, you know the risks. >>



True, and if they were only endangering themselves, I really wouldn't care. But the fact that the put bystanders, in danger is the worst part.

 

[Thegonagle]

Sorry to hear about your friend.

The same thing happened here a few weeks ago. Both driver and passenger in one of the cars were killed when the driver ran it into a brick wall. The driver of the other car is being charged with some sort of crime above and beyond drag racing/wreckless driving, but I don't remember exactly what.

Major bummer

 

[777joee]

I lost 4 friends to a Drag Racing accident. I still shudder when I drive past the spot.


Sorry for your loss.

 

[OS]

<< Innocent bystanders or do you mean people who came to watch? >>



Innocent bystanders of course, people who are driving home to have dinner with their families after work and what have you. People who go to watch organized street races should know the risk.

 

[Goldfish]

Sorry to hear the loss. As far as I know all the street racing here is limited to an old out of service drag strip that the amateurs use from time to time.

 

[MrCodeDude]

Sorry about your friend, but he should have known the consequences for getting in the car.. Street Racing is stupid in my opinion, wow, my car goes faster than yours, does it matter when all I'm doing is returning a video to Block Buster?
-- mrcodedude

 

[amdskip]

It's called go to a dragstrip, easy and fair.

 

[RossGr]

<< swerved to avoid oncoming traffic >>



Innocent bystanders as in the people in the oncoming traffic. Sorry about your friend, they were luck, as far as I am concerned had someone in the &quot;oncoming traffic&quot; died it should be treated as murder.