Rock crawl accident today..

[jeeper]

KSL is reporting a death at the rock crawl event today. Anybody have more info?

 

[Herzog]

I was just about to post up.

I showed up to AreaBFE around 5:30 PM today and it was oddly silent. The races should have been getting over with by then, but it was already mostly empty.
I was informed that around 2-2:30 a spectator got hit on the track and killed. He was in an area he shouldn't have been and there was talk that he had his back to the track and was taking a selfie. This is obviously 3rd party info though. Really unfortunate.

Condolences to his family and anybody involved.

 

[gorillaxj]

This is really all I know, would love to know more.... prays to everyone involved. This is From W.E.Rocks Facebook page-

"W.E Rock Events Dirt Riot Race in Moab Ends With Tragedy
April 4, 2015 at 6:44pm
BLACKFOOT, ID APRIL 4, 2015: In an unfortunate incident at the W.E. Rock Events / Dirt Riot today at AreaBFE in Moab, UT, a spectator was tragically struck by a race car. The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office has declared it an accident. The spectator was within the closed off boundaries of the racecourse taking a “selfie” photo.

There were many first responders on the scene within seconds of the accident. The effort by all the first responders from onsite EMT, the W.E. Rock Events / Dirt Riot family and the crowd gave everything until the county personnel arrived to take the scene.

The spectators family is currently being notified and we wish to keep them all in your thoughts.

The driver, co-driver and family are challenged with this accident and we ask that you keep them in your thoughts.

Earlier day results, pictures and stories of the day will be posted at http://www.werocklive.com/2015/dirt-riot-mountain-round-1-moab-ut-2"

 

[ChestonScout]

From what i heard a spectator snuck onto the course for a selfie, got hit by the car and died



Edit...

Posting at the same time??

 

[RockChucker]

I was just about to post up.

I showed up to AreaBFE around 5:30 PM today and it was oddly silent. The races should have been getting over with by then, but it was already mostly empty.
I was informed that around 2-2:30 a spectator got hit on the track and killed. He was in an area he shouldn't have been and there was talk that he had his back to the track and was taking a selfie. This is obviously 3rd party info though. Really unfortunate.

Condolences to his family and anybody involved.

That's what I understand happened. I'm pretty sure I was on my way out when you were headed in. I was in a red 2 door JK.

 

[juhcohbee]

I was there, he was trying to get a selfie while the truck was jumping behind him, truck lost control and smacked him into a tree, very very sad incident. It was crazy how far down they'd allow spectators to go. I can't imagine how bad the driver feels.

 

[ChestonScout]

Several pics of a couple kids on his FB page.



Really sad

 

[gijohn40]

on facebook they said he was the kindest guy and had a big heart and went out of his way to help people. name was chris hower. a volunteer firefighter with young kids.

guess a big heart and no brains. Tacoma was calling the race and knows the hole story but isn't in the right mind to be talking to anyone due to this.

 

[Herzog]

That's what I understand happened. I'm pretty sure I was on my way out when you were headed in. I was in a red 2 door JK.

Hey is that you that almost hit me on the dirt road?

It was crazy how far down they'd allow spectators to go.

I heard that he wasn't supposed to be down there..? Either way, as a spectator you have to take control over your own safety in this kind of stuff. If you feel like you are too close, you are probably too close. This is why events like this get sued out of existence because people can't take responsibility. Nobody deserves what happened, never. But let's not start saying that it was the event at fault for letting people get down there.

 

[Herzog]

There are some memories being shared on the RR4W FB page, for those interested. Sounds like he was an upstanding guy. My heart goes out to his family.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/rr4wmoab/

 

[Bart]

I met Chris on opening Saturday of EJS. He was on our Hell's Revenge run and then talked with him quite a bit Tuesday night at the bbq. He was a genuinely nice guy and so enthusiastic about wheeling and his first trip to Moab. He won something at the raffle on Friday night and donated it to help raise funds for Dave Adams action chair. He was a really nice. guy. I wasn't there at the race but have heard the same things that have been said here, in the wrong place at the wrong time. My thoughts and prayers go out to Chris and his family, and also to the team that was involved with this and their loved ones and supporters. I can't imagine what they will have to do to come to grips with this. It's a sad situation all the way around.

 

[jeeper]

Here is another

This was an ATV in the hot tubs.

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=34133954&ni...woman-dies-in-moab-atv-accident&s_cid=queue-2

 

[crosbike]

Thats rough. I was there yesterday with loren healy and it just give you perspective on how precarious our existence here is. did anybody here what happened to the emt that had to leave bfe or another trail fatality?

 

[Tacoma]

I was there to try and help, it was clear to me that he was probably already gone despite the efforts of everyone involved. No one gave up on him. His death was ruled accidental, and he was apparently on course at the time. The driver that hit him is someone I know personally, and I can't imagine what he's going through right now. Pretty sad for everyone involved. Yes, Mr. Hower shouldn't have been where he was, but I've seen some pretty callous things written in the last couple days. Whatever. No one is trying to kill themselves when they try to get a bitchin' picture. A bunch of people did their absolute best to save his life, and they're dealing with the fact that they couldn't. I'm dealing with that too, and knowing that friends of mine, friends of WERock, people we all know and have shared good times with, including the deceased, are all where we're at today because of what happened on Saturday. There's just no words to fix anything for anyone and I really hope his family can come to terms with his death eventually. It's kind of hard to get your brain around someone dying that way. Very difficult day for a lot of people.

Alex, no idea on the other reported fatality. I hope that was just a rumor, but that guy hauled ass out of BFE for sure.