Lucerne Valley Crash

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After eight spectators are killed at the California 200, both avid off-roaders and opponents of the sport criticize the lack of safety precautions. Fans of desert racing say nothing beats the danger, dust and noise of watching 3,500-pound trucks roaring past close enough almost to touch and then rocketing into the air over treacherous jumps with nicknames like "the rock pile." The off-road derbies, which occur in remote stretches of the Mojave Desert, draw thousands and exist a world apart from the urban sprawl of Southern California. 8 people are killed by a racing off-road truck which takes a jump and plows into a crowd along the desert race course. Twelve other people were injured in the crash, at the California 200 desert night race near Lucerne Valley, 100 miles (160km) from Los Angeles.



According to Associated Press, the tragedy resulted when one of the competing trucks, a Prerunner, went over a jump and ended up upside down on top of several spectators. The victims were transported to the Loma Linda University Medical Center or St. Mary's Medical Center with the help of the seven ambulances and 10 emergency aircraft who rushed to the scene. There were just bodies everywhere," David Conklin, an off-road magazine photographer told AP. The incident is currently investigated by the California Highway Patrol and the federal Bureau of Land Management. While the cause of the crash is not yet known, initial findings show that the spectators were located within 10 feet of the track.

The Lucerne Valley and surrounding desert areas is considered a mecca for off-road racing, with numerous pro races through the year. The California 200 night race in the Lucerne Valley area, off Bessemer Mine Road, was promoted by MDR Productions of South El Monte. A flyer listed on a website indicated that fees to enter the race ranged from $200 to $440. There are no guardrails, no enforced rules and no police to hold spectators back as they lean over the track with cell phones, snapping photos of oncoming trucks.