Police Chief Neil Burkes said the event has been a safe one for the eighteen years it’s been conducted in his town.

 

“I have been the chief here in Selmar for ten years and it has gone on for as long as I have been here,” Burkes said. “It has been a safe event up until this year. We had a tragic accident and that’s just it. It had been a safe event up until this year.”

The Tennessee Highway Patrol conducted a press conference today discussing more details of Saturday’s Cars for Kids tragedy which killed spectators watching an exhibition of drag racing machinery. Six bystanders, including two teenagers, were killed when a Pro Modified car driven by Troy Critchley crashed into a utility pole and bounced into a crowd of spectators. An official count listed 20 injuries.

 

Police Chief Neil Burkes said the event has been a safe one for the eighteen years it’s been conducted in his town.

 

“I have been the chief here in Selmar for ten years and it has gone on for as long as I have been here,” Burkes said. “It has been a safe event up until this year. We had a tragic accident and that’s just it. It had been a safe event up until this year.”

 

Last year, the Pro Modified entry driven by Doug Palmer performed a similar burnout with no incident. A video of the exhibition appeared on the Cars For Kids website.

 

The Tennessee Highway Patrol is conducting an extensive investigation of the event and will submit the results of its investigation to the Tennessee Attorney General for review. This is a routine procedure for incidents of this nature.

 

“If there are any individuals who have specific information that may be of value to this investigation and have not been interviewed, please call the Jackson district of the Tennessee Highway Patrol,” said Mike Browning, spokesman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol. “We are taking a look at all of the comprehensive factors of this accident.”

 

The Tennessee Highway Patrol will reconstruct the accident, and while it will take time to complete, it is of the highest priority, added Browning. He said additional resources are being brought in to interview every witness of the incident as well as victims.

 

The Tennessee Attorney General’s office is involved in the investigation as well.

 

“It was a complex matter and a complex scene with many people there,” said District Attorney General Mike Dunavant. “We are still preliminarily in this investigation. I will be reviewing the information from officers and agents to make decisions whether and what, crime may be charged as a result of this.

 

“We certainly want the people of Selmar and McNairy County to know we are doing everything we can to address these issues of public safety and responsibility.”

 

Dunavant said his department has not decided whether criminal charges will be filed. Critchley was not arrested in connection with the incident.

 

“No determination has been made yet and it would be irresponsible for me to make a judgement until I have all the facts,” Dunavant said. “We are still reviewing all of the details.”

 

Greg Henley, a witness to the accident, told CNN that he felt the tragedy nobody’s fault but just an unfortunate accident.

 

“I call it an unfortunate accident,” Henley said. “I knew some of the people that got hurt. It’s very unfortunate for the families and their members that got hurt.”

 

The AMS Racing Team issued a statement regarding the event today.

 

"The entire AMS Racing Team is in deep mourning over the losses and pain suffered this weekend. Our thoughts and prayers are with the individuals and their families during this difficult time. We are shocked and deeply saddened by this tragic accident, which is compounded by the fact that it occurred during a charitable event designed to raise money for disabled children. We offer our deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the individuals that were injured or perished in the accident," team spokesman William Reid said Monday.
 
The team was asked to attend a charity event in Selmer, Tenn. to help raise money for the Cars For Kids charity.  They displayed their 1993 Corvette and 1957 Chevy - and planned to have each vehicle perform an exhibition burnout. 
 
The statement then said the team displayed two cars for the public to view, and, after displaying the cars, the crew was instructed to line up with other cars participating in the event. After the parade was completed, Selmer Police Officers blocked off the highway for the cars to perform the burnouts.  The team understood that the Selmer Police Chief, Neal Burks, was present and in charge of crowd placement and blocking off the street.

 

The AMS Rage team said the drivers understood that the roadway had been inspected and approved for the burnout exhibition.

 

According to the statement, “Before Mr. Critchley began the exhibition, two Selmer police cars traveled down the left and right of the roadway and instructed the crowd to move back.  Mr. Critchley was signaled to start and he began to perform the burnout. After a straight start, the car skidded off the road. Mr. Critchley did everything humanly possible to keep the car on the road, but unfortunately, there was nothing he could do.”

 

Critchley was taken to the Emergency Room and treated for minor injuries. According to the team, Critchley voluntarily submitted blood for testing to the Tennessee Highway Patrol and it was confirmed that he had no alcohol or drugs in his system.
 
The entire crew remained in Selmer on Sunday, June 17 to cooperate and provide information to Tennessee State authorities investigating the accident. 
 
The involved car will remain in the possession of the Tennessee Highway Patrol for examination.

 

The AMS Rage team said they are cooperating with the State of Tennessee and is currently investigating a number of factors that may have contributed to the accident including crowd control, safety precautions and the preparation and condition of the roadway.

 

Critchley will no longer race in 2007, at least in NHRA competition. 

 

"Despite the tragedy, the Pro Mod Challenge will continue as scheduled. It is our understanding that the AMS Racing team driven by Troy Critchley has withdrawn from the remaining events this season and will not be racing," Matthew Brammer, AMS Pro Modified Challenge administrator said. "As a series, we are discussing ways we can try to help in some small way ease the pain for everyone who lost, and are hoping to announce a benefit before our next scheduled event in Englishtown."

The series competes next at Englishtown, New Jersey, June 21-24.