Baja 500 racer preruns irresponsibly, kills local, flees in helicopter!

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

Norseman Racing, Illinois Truck and Equipment, truck 37L Baja 500 racer prerunning irresponsibly, unsafe speeding, hit and killed local in Erindira, then left the crash scene in a helicopter. helo did not transport the local guy who got worst of it, and died… Bad, bad stuff…

DEP "El TITI" all you got to have is green......

[Edited on 6-4-2025 by latitude32]

Quote: Originally posted by latitude32

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666   Norseman Racing, Illinois Truck and Equipment, truck 37L Baja 500 racer prerunning irresponsibly, unsafe speeding, hit and killed local in Erindira, then left the crash scene in a helicopter. helo did not transport the local guy who got worst of it, and died… Bad, bad stuff… DEP "El TITI" all you got to have is green...... [Edited on 6-4-2025 by latitude32]

Quote: Originally posted by wilderone

"The driver of the vehicle involved in the heavy collision against a "trophy tuck" that occurred on Monday afternoon in the village of Erendira died, while the whereabouts of the competitor pilot is unknown. The death occurred at the San Vicente Health Center, where the motorist was taken by relatives after the impact, and medical staff notified the State Prosecutor General's Office of the death. According to the Municipal Police report, witnesses claimed to have seen the racing driver and his companion being transported by helicopter, without specifying their destination. Racer Rolf Helland is in his 60's, and has won many SCORE races in Baja. Apparently the spot where the accident occurred was specifically highlighted in a safety presentation to the participants: "... but you need slow down in the wash around mile 348ish. Today there was a horrible accident at this exact spot that we touched on in our preview show. Come to a stop at ALL these crossings in this wash for the rest of the week please" ! #fishgistics #baja500

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

Beyond the gross negligence of the driver in causing the death, it is Unconscionable that the driver, SCORE and helicopter charter operator used the helicopter to aid the race drivers in fleeing the scene instead of using the helicopter to transport the victim to a medical facility. The drivers left the victim to die.

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo

Can anyone provide a link to an actual news article, or police report? All I have found are social media posts that leave a whole lot of questions unanswered!

Quote: Originally posted by lencho

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH   I wonder if Mexican and American police will collaborate to arrest the driver and the pilot who helped him flee. Were they "fleeing"? Or could that have been a Medivac helicopter taking them to San Diego? So far, lot of conjecture...

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH

Quote: Originally posted by lencho   Quote: Originally posted by SFandH   I wonder if Mexican and American police will collaborate to arrest the driver and the pilot who helped him flee. Were they "fleeing"? Or could that have been a Medivac helicopter taking them to San Diego? So far, lot of conjecture... Good point. The medivac possibility didn't occur to me.

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH

Quote: Originally posted by lencho   Quote: Originally posted by SFandH   I wonder if Mexican and American police will collaborate to arrest the driver and the pilot who helped him flee. Were they "fleeing"? Or could that have been a Medivac helicopter taking them to San Diego? So far, lot of conjecture... Good point. The medivac possibility didn't occur to me.

Quote: Originally posted by Maderita

In case anyone is questioning the speed of the vehicles, here is a video of the accident. https://fb.watch/A2_qBWGLPj/ if that link doesn't work, try: https://www.facebook.com/ZNNEnsenada/videos/4032934550312530...

thank you I was about to post the video....Rolf and Rick clearly hauling the mail, where they shouldn't have

Quote: Originally posted by Maderita

In case anyone is questioning the speed of the vehicles, here is a video of the accident. https://fb.watch/A2_qBWGLPj/ if that link doesn't work, try: https://www.facebook.com/ZNNEnsenada/videos/4032934550312530... edit to add: non-Facebook users: this link to a news page has the video: https://www.zonanorte.mx/main/mozaico/nid/5238 [Edited on 6-6-2025 by Maderita]

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

How fast does it look like they are going?

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Now, we can clearly see that this was not in town or even on a highway, but where a dirt road, going south, crosses the race course. The victim seems to not stopped before crossing the riverbed/race course. Clearly an accident.

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

How fast does it look like they are going?

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Now, we can clearly see that this was not in town or even on a highway, but where a dirt road, going south, crosses the race course. The victim seems to not stopped before crossing the riverbed/race course. Clearly an accident.

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Seems a lot of the facts don't align with what Goat posted initially. It's always best to not make assumptions.

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

Norseman Racing, Illinois Truck and Equipment, truck 37L Baja 500 racer prerunning irresponsibly, unsafe speeding, hit and killed local in Erindira, then left the crash scene in a helicopter. helo did not transport the local guy who got worst of it, and died… Bad, bad stuff…

Latest info

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Not defending anyone. This is the race course and it was an official pre running day. The racer did not intentionally hit the civilian nor did he want to. You guys really hate the sport, I understand. But, some responsibility had to go to the civilian who didn't stop to look or listen for a pre runner, before crossing the race track.

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Responsibility belongs to all and anyone operating a motor vehicle. So glad that driver was alone and his family wasn't inside with him. The racecourse there is the riverbed, not a "public road". The public road is in the background, along the hillside. I asked hypothetical questions for you, goat. How about giving them an answer.

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

Racing is really not appropriate on open courses. Time to take the races to a closed track. How many nonracers need to die each year to satisfy the fans?

Quote: Originally posted by David K

Not defending anyone. This is the race course and it was an official pre running day. The racer did not intentionally hit the civilian nor did he want to. You guys really hate the sport, I understand. But, some responsibility had to go to the civilian who didn't stop to look or listen for a pre runner, before crossing the race track. A helicopter was overhead and locals were watching the pre running action. Again, nobody wants harm to come to anyone. Would it be different if this was one of the Mexican run Baja races or if the race car driver was Mexican? Try to see all the facts without your rose colored glasses on.

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666   Racing is really not appropriate on open courses. Time to take the races to a closed track. How many nonracers need to die each year to satisfy the fans? And there it is. The entire point of this troll thread. If he could, Goat would ban cars because some people die in car crashes.

Quote: Originally posted by surabi

Quote: Originally posted by JZ   Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666   Racing is really not appropriate on open courses. Time to take the races to a closed track. How many nonracers need to die each year to satisfy the fans? And there it is. The entire point of this troll thread. If he could, Goat would ban cars because some people die in car crashes. What an idiotic thing to say. Advocating for safety protocols has nothing to do with wanting to ban something. That's like saying that urging people to wear seat belts means they want to ban cars.

Quote: Originally posted by JZ

Quote: Originally posted by surabi   Quote: Originally posted by JZ   Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666   Racing is really not appropriate on open courses. Time to take the races to a closed track. How many nonracers need to die each year to satisfy the fans? And there it is. The entire point of this troll thread. If he could, Goat would ban cars because some people die in car crashes. What an idiotic thing to say. Advocating for safety protocols has nothing to do with wanting to ban something. That's like saying that urging people to wear seat belts means they want to ban cars. He literally said he wants offload racing banned.

Before the race this spot specifically was talked about

Quote: Originally posted by David K

surabi, I was responding to goat, not you.

Quote: Originally posted by digcolnagos

…why aren't controls placed in places during practice sessions that are in place on race day (assuming that's the case) among other things--speaks volumes, at least, in my book.

Quote: Originally posted by digcolnagos

"Local dies! Racer flies!" headlined the story posted by race organizers, like the National Enquirer. And right next to click here for information on Friday's pre-race party in Ensenada. No statement of condolences from race organizers that I've been able to find until four days after the fact.

Quote: Originally posted by surabi

Quote: Originally posted by digcolnagos   "Local dies! Racer flies!" headlined the story posted by race organizers, like the National Enquirer. And right next to click here for information on Friday's pre-race party in Ensenada. No statement of condolences from race organizers that I've been able to find until four days after the fact. Wow. That's truly disgusting. And makes it pretty obvious that these are a bunch of entitled yahoos, just as I said.

Just look at the video ! Pretty obvious who is at fault . I love racing but this was not right.

Then to take a helicopter to the states . Give me break

Nice to be Rich.

Quote: Originally posted by digcolnagos

My two cents, which is worth what it will buy. The optics are horrible. "Local dies! Racer flies!" headlined the story posted by race organizers, like the National Enquirer. And right next to click here for information on Friday's pre-race party in Ensenada. No statement of condolences from race organizers that I've been able to find until four days after the fact. From what I've gathered, this spot is controlled on race day. If it is controlled on race day, why isn't it controlled during pre-runs or whatever these practice sessions are called? I've lived in Baja for less than a year. I'd have zero idea that this was going on, even with a chopper above and folks alongside the route. That could have been me, is what I think. Then there's the driver, and maybe whoever was riding shotgun, getting helicoptered out while leaving a gravely injured person behind. The driver was reportedly helicoptered to a U.S. hospital. We don't know how seriously he was injured. Neither race organizers nor the team has said. At last report, some sort of settlement has been reached with the family of the dead man. It smacks, sorry, of folks doing whatever the heck they want, and, if someone gets killed, you can buy your way out of it, and don't ask questions. It's hard to imagine something like this happening in the U.S. without race organizers getting the bejeebers sued out of them. I'll try keeping an open mind. We don't have enough information to make solid judgments, and that's a huge part of the problem. But to say, "Hey, these races have been going on since Nixon was president, what's the issue?" does not, to me, seem an appropriate way to look at it. It seems to me that the racer and race organizers both have a lot of 'splaining to do. That folks seem not be saying anything--where was the racer taken, what's his condition, was there a co-driver, what's his status, why aren't controls placed in places during practice sessions that are in place on race day (assuming that's the case) among other things--speaks volumes, at least, in my book.

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

Quote: Originally posted by digcolnagos   …why aren't controls placed in places during practice sessions that are in place on race day (assuming that's the case) among other things--speaks volumes, at least, in my book. The controls are sort of there… The racers are told verbally and in writing multiple times that the course is open and they are to go slow. The scene of the accident was specifically mentioned as one of the public road xings that required caution. The racer apparently ignored all instructions about using caution, and he barreled into that poor victim at 80 mph… Better question, why is pre-running allowed at race speeds? Seems they could put gps on the cars and ban anyone who violates the rules… they have gps tracking on race day, so why not on pre-race days?

Quote: Originally posted by surabi

Motorized vehicle racing is a dangerous sport. If drivers want to participate in it, that's their choice- they know the risks. But race organizers failing to have safety protocols in place to protect innocent bystanders and people who live along the route is unconscionable.

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666

Quote: Originally posted by surabi   Motorized vehicle racing is a dangerous sport. If drivers want to participate in it, that's their choice- they know the risks. But race organizers failing to have safety protocols in place to protect innocent bystanders and people who live along the route is unconscionable. The american promoters run these races in mexico because safety and environmental norms in the usa are too restrictive. Apparently mexico is more accepting of the death tolls, environmental impacts and road damage.

Quote: Originally posted by surabi

??? Goat didn't say there were none of these type races in the US. He said promoters like to hold races in Mexico because of lack of regulations. Googling the Mint 400 makes it clear they have many regs and environmental and safety protocols in place, for instance spectators staying within designated, protected areas. "Spectator Safety: Spectators are advised to stay within fenced areas and keep children close by." And then there is this: "Respect the Environment: Do not drive vehicles into the desert or park on vegetation." They also have extensive regulations for helicopters and drones, and media.

Quote: Originally posted by surabi

The regulations I read re the Mint 400 seem to be the organizers' regulations, not just following some federal regulations, so no, it is not "by that logic up to Mexico to add these conditions". Although they certainly could. This was Goat's point- there is a lack of regulations and enforcement in Mexico, not to mention a culture of bribery that makes it an attractive place to hold these events. As I'm sure you are aware, Mexico isn't big on safety and prevention. It's more like don't do anything until it's too late. For instance, in the US and Canada, electric companies send crews around to trim branches that are hanging over the electrical lines. In Mexico, they wait until a branch breaks in a storm and the entire area has no electric for hours until they send someone to remove the branch and fix the line. And forget about highway safety- you can have all your kids sitting in the back of an open pickup, barreling down the highway, so if you get rear-ended, your children will be dead or seriously injured. [Edited on 6-10-2025 by surabi]

Quote: Originally posted by Tioloco

Many of us are attracted to Mexico because of the lack of laws and it not being a "nanny state".

Quote: Originally posted by surabi

Its illegal to drive on the beaches in Mexico. JZ bragging about disrespecting Mexican law and its beaches just because he hasn't been arrested for doing so. Natch. In JZ's world, ignoring a county's laws is fine as long as you're a privileged white guy, not an "illegal". [Edited on 6-11-2025 by surabi] You want Mexican law obeyed while you cheer for the breaking of US law. You are a disgraceful traitor [Edited on 6-11-2025 by surabi]

Quote: Originally posted by Tioloco

Quote: Originally posted by surabi   Its illegal to drive on the beaches in Mexico. JZ bragging about disrespecting Mexican law and its beaches just because he hasn't been arrested for doing so. Natch. In JZ's world, ignoring a county's laws is fine as long as you're a privileged white guy, not an "illegal". [Edited on 6-11-2025 by surabi] You want Mexican law obeyed while you cheer for the breaking of US law. You are a disgraceful traitor

Quote: Originally posted by David K

By-the-way, skin color has zero to do with driving on the beach...

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH

Quote: Originally posted by David K   By-the-way, skin color has zero to do with driving on the beach... That's a keeper.

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH

Well, good, make sure you go to those beaches and have a great time driving along the surf. Drive into the water too, that's always fun.

JZ teaching his kids how its done.....then he slipped off his phone book.

That's what I mean. Go ahead folks drive on the beach, it's so much fun. I'm sure the driver in the above video will remember his surf trip for the rest of his life.

Quote: Originally posted by Tioloco

And there are many areas in Mexico where driving on the beach is encouraged by the local government and the police and military join in on the cruising as well. Is good for the economy to have masses of tourists out enjoying the beaches.

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH

Back on topic. Does anybody know how the race car driver is doing? Any more news about the aftermath of the accident?

Quote: Originally posted by surabi

Quote: Originally posted by Tioloco   And there are many areas in Mexico where driving on the beach is encouraged by the local government and the police and military join in on the cruising as well. Is good for the economy to have masses of tourists out enjoying the beaches. List the "many areas" where this is encouraged. "Masses of tourists" decidedly do not "enjoy the beaches" where yahoos tear around on their motorized vehicles. They go to enjoy the natural environment, listen to the waves crashing, swim and surf and fish, and don't appreciate having to listen to loud motos, atvs, and other vehicles, scattering sand and gas fumes everywhere or having to make sure their kids and dogs don't get run over. That type of inconsiderate activity drives tourists away to quieter areas. [Edited on 6-12-2025 by surabi]

Quote: Originally posted by surabi

I asked for a list.

Quote: Originally posted by surabi

No, you didn't. You listed 10 beaches within a very small area of Mexico that you said were "fun beaches to drive on", not "many areas of Mexico" nor provided any information regarding the local govts. "encouraging" driving on the beach. Which I seriously doubt govt. officials would publicly do, as it's illegal. [Edited on 6-12-2025 by surabi] [Edited on 6-12-2025 by surabi]

Quote: Originally posted by surabi

9 are on the upper Sea of Cortez. That isn't "many areas of Mexico".

Quote: Originally posted by surabi

9 are on the upper Sea of Cortez. That isn't "many areas of Mexico".

I guess youare unaware of "playa Novillero" in the state in which you live.

Quote: Originally posted by chippy

Quote: Originally posted by surabi   9 are on the upper Sea of Cortez. That isn't "many areas of Mexico". I guess youare unaware of "playa Novillero" in the state in which you live.

People who drive on busy beaches are jerks. If you are fat and need ro drive on the beach because you weeze after walking 100 yards, please limit your driving to remote beaches where other lazy drivers hang out.

Quote: Originally posted by Timo1

Anyone here remember when "normal" people posted on this forum instead of the same group bickering and complaining. It used to be fun here

Normal? Don't we all have a bad case of "BAJA FEVER"?

Please help us Nomads with more trip reports, photos, maps, and fun!

Quote: Originally posted by Ateo

Yes, the good old days were fun on this website!! Some people should be banned. Headed to Mexico tonight! Adios.

Quote: Originally posted by latitude32

Quote: Originally posted by Ateo   Yes, the good old days were fun on this website!! Some people should be banned. Headed to Mexico tonight! Adios. some shouldn't have been banned too...curious Jon ever share a wave with Woody anymore?