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.