I didn't realize how far and wide my post had reached so here is what I put on Facebook:
--Update on the accident from earlier today. The guy on the quad didn't make it out of the dunes. As I knew when it happened, he was injured severely. Seems the CHP found out I witnessed it and had photos so I had to go and make a statement. My friend Steve also went. The guys next of kin was his sister who walked up as I was there and didn't know about her brother. I had to wait for the CHP and She
riff to finish telling her her brother was dead. Sad.
The guy in the rail had just come off of comp. Instead of turning or slowing down, he nailed it on the flats. Two quads were heading towards the cut at the left end of comp. The rail, under power, just hit the first quad square in the side. The quad and rider as well as the rail disappeared into a explosive dust cloud. The rail hit the guy and quad hard enough to launch into the air, pivot as to show me the bottom and then land on its roof, roll, and wind up back on its wheels. The quad guy never had a chance. Since I was getting some shots of the action in the area, I took some shots from immediately after the impact. The quality is not the best since I wasn't ready and the distance but I did catch the rail pointing straight up in the air. Still deciding if I want to show it or not. It shows the quad guy down. But, I also think it shows what the consequences of stupid decisions can look like.
Later this evening, We watched two rails racing. One clipped a quad. Guess which one got taken away in an ambulance. Quad guy should be Ok, broken wrist and maybe an ankle. Quad is destroyed. Rail has left rear damage to its suspension. When you decide to race into a dust cloud, what could possibly happen? The rails were two of the fastest on the hill. Why would anyone think at such high speeds and acceleration rate with no visibility is an acceptable risk? I just don't get it. Did I mention that this particular race, they changed direction and started on the left of comp and angled up to the right which of course crosses the whole hill into the climbing traffic????? No visibility and they do this???? Asswipes! Rant off...
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After getting many messages from family and friends, I decided to not make the pictures I took public. I will be sending them to the CHP for their investigation. The pictures do clearly show the rails path. The story I heard about them trying to miss the quad is fabrication. Plus. My friend Steve saw what I saw. We both gave statements to CHP.