Evo Street Racers: Street Racing Accidents

Man Hurt In Alleged Street-Racing Crash: Police Searching For Second Driver

Source: The Boston Channel
Date: August 10, 2008
Author: The Boston Channel

BOSTON -- Police believe a Lawrence man who was critically injured Saturday night was drag racing when his vehicle skidded out of control and struck a tree, according to the Lawrence Eagle Tribune.

Michael Beauregard, 22, of 152 Water St. in Lawrence, was flown to Beth Israel Hospital by medical helicopter after the accident, which occurred around 6 p.m. at 413 Riverside Drive. He was listed in critical condition Saturday.

"Based on the witnesses' statements and the preliminary evidence, we believe they were drag racing," police Chief John Romero said. "Speed appears to have been a factor from what we know — the witnesses, skid marks and the accident itself."

According to police, Beauregard was racing a second car up Riverside Drive when the two vehicles attempted to pass a minivan in their path. Beauregard’s 1990 Ford Mustang nearly struck the side of the van before fishtailing through an intersection and slamming into the utility pole. The Mustang’s tires left four sets of skid marks in the pavement during the accident.

"The first car flew around us speeding, and the second car went to pass me, too, and then went fishtailing," said Rhonda Janeczko, 38, of Lowell, the driver of the minivan. "We were out celebrating my father's retirement from Raytheon. Some retirement party, huh?"

Beauregard was ejected from the car after its rear side struck a utility pole and the front side of the car smashed into a tree, police said.

Police were still searching Saturday night for the driver of the second car. According to witnesses, the driver sped away from the wreck immediately after.

"The other guy took off,” said Janeczko's father, Sherman Muscovitz, 64, of Lowell, a passenger in the minivan. “He didn't even stop and come back to see if he was all right."

Residents who live nearby said that the Tower Hill neighborhood has been plagued by illegal street racers in recent months. Police issued 15 citations in the Riverside area in the last several weeks alone, according to the Tribune.

"It's dangerous," said Kennedy Villa, owner of the house at 413 Riverside Drive, which is across from where the crash occurred Saturday night.

"They hit the wall of my house six months ago," he said. "The biggest accident I saw was (the night) when the Patriots lost (the Super Bowl). A lady flipped over an SUV five minutes after the game."

Beauregard had been issued citations for racing in the past and the 22-year-old’s license had previously been suspended for speeding violations, police said.

Members of the state police accident reconstruction team were called in to investigate the crash.