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Car Plows Into Crowd Watching Pr. George's Street Race, Killing 8
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Of yesterday's crash, she said, "I was just shocked that people died."
The accident was one of the deadliest motor vehicle mishaps in the Washington area in decades. In 1979, 10 teenagers were fatally injured in a pickup truck crash in Anne Arundel County.
Yesterday's incident was the kind police say they have tried to prevent as part of an illegal late-night pastime that has gone on for decades. The races can draw hundreds of people from across the Washington area, mostly on Friday and Saturday nights, and are often held along dark, remote stretches of road. The events, whose locations are spread via word of mouth, often have a party atmosphere in which participants display souped-up vehicles built for speed. They can draw prizes of thousands of dollars for the winner, although racers say it's more often about bragging rights.
That area of Indian Head Highway is a popular racing spot, Copeland said. However, he said, it's more often motorcycles than cars.
"The way the road is set up, it's definitely enticing for someone who wants to see how fast their vehicle can go," Copeland said.
He said police have used radar and speed traps in the area. "It's not like it's a situation we're not aware of," he said.
Copeland said it is difficult for officers to enforce street racing laws. "No matter how much enforcement you do, no matter how many speed traps you put down, it's still up to the individual to make the decision."
As word of the accident spread, people gathered at the site, some carrying flowers and teddy bears. Some said they came because they are familiar with the street racing scene and knew some of the victims. One person set a simple bouquet of daisies by the side of the road.
Mary Wilson, 37, of Marbury, who went to the scene late yesterday afternoon, said she knew two of the victims.
"I don't know what to say. I feel very empty," Wilson said. "I never imagined it would end like this. I'm just all shook up and nervous."
Denee Hines, 20, a daughter of the owner of Healthy Hair & Co., a salon near the accident scene, said she was horrified to learn of the accident. She said her mother has talked of a street racing problem in the area. "We couldn't believe it," Hines said of the accident. "Our shop as a whole is putting out all our prayers for the families."
Unlike many races, which draw a mostly young crowd, yesterday morning's event drew spectators of all ages, including parents with their children. Those killed and hurt ranged in age from their 20s to 61, police said.
The road, a major commuter route between Washington and Southern Maryland, reopened at 3 p.m., after firefighters used hoses to wash bloodstains and debris from the pavement.
Staff writers Rosalind S. Helderman, Ruben Castaneda, Hamil R. Harris, Avis Thomas-Lester and Jenna Johnson and staff researcher Meg Smith contributed to this report.
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