Stevenage car crash people went flying like bowling pins says passenger in boy racer car s

SHOW-off boy racers are being blamed for a high-speed smash which injured 17 people at a car enthusiasts’ meeting.

A Nissan 350Z was seen tearing along the road seconds before it crashed into a black Toyota.

The cars ploughed into spectators lining the road and standing in the central reservation, knocking them down “like bowling pins”. Two were seriously hurt.

Thursday night’s accident happened as hundreds of fans of modified cars gathered at a retail park.

The event’s organisers blamed rogue boy racers leaving the car park to show off their motors on the road and post videos.

Rix Sidhu, 29, of Cruise-Herts, said: “We beg people not to race on the roads, we don’t want it at our meets. We always say to do it on the tracks.”

Witnesses said the blue Nissan was doing 80mph when it crashed in Stevenage, Herts.

Mindaugas Dambrauskas, 26, was in 21-year-old pal Dominic Brown’s car when it was hit by the Nissan.

They were just about to leave the event when the car owned by 22-year-old Julian Castano crashed into them.

The collision pushed them “at least 20 metres” onto the pavement - knocking kids on the ground as they watched.

Cops confirmed they had quizzed the drivers of both cars and urged anyone with footage to come forward.

ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN

At least 17 people – many of them children – were injured in what locals described as an “accident waiting to happen” having asked cops to shut it down "hundreds of times".

Mr Dambrauskas described seeing “bodies covered in blood all over the place” in the aftermath of the horror smash.

He told The Sun Online: “I was in the passenger seat. It happened so quickly. We pulled out of the car park and there was a car going up the hill.

Were you at the Stevenage car meet? Email abe.hawken@thesun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4351

“Dom pulled out and the Nissan 350z crashed straight into us and pushed us up on the kerb – we travelled for about 20 metres.

“We were knocking people over like bowling pins, it was horrific. We went to the left and the driver of the Nissan went to the right.

“I was so shocked, I knew what had happened, I knew we had crashed but Dom had just frozen.

BODIES COVERED IN BLOOD

“I jumped out of the car and saw bodies covered in blood all over the place.

“There were hundreds of people around, screaming and trying to help.

“A man shouted that we needed to lift the car up because someone was stuck underneath the middle of the car.

“We all lifted it up and he got free.”

Mr Dambrauskas is amazed he has been left unscathed and managed to walk away “without a scratch” on him.

He added: “I’m amazed that I’m not injured. Dom is OK as well.

TOO FAST

“I’ve never liked these trial meetings; this was the second time I’ve been. I only wanted to go to look at the cars but things just got out of hand with people driving too fast.”

Relatives of Mr Castano, from Ingatesone, Essex, confirmed he was involved in the crash and said he "needed to spend time with his family".

He was recovering at home in Ingatestone, Essex, yesterday.

He has previously uploaded photographs on Facebook of the same Nissan he was driving.

Horror footage shows the two vehicles careering off the road and crashing into dozens of children.

Some of the children watching by the side of the road were sent "flying" and one boy ended up underneath a car.

Local people have said the gathering of young people showing off their cars is a regular event held every Thursday night.

One man said: “I’m out walking my dog and you hear the cars arriving in the area for these gatherings.

“Some of the driving that takes place is absolutely crazy with undertaking at speed and to be honest what happened last night was an an accident waiting to happen.”

HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE

He said from about 7.30 pm car enthusiasts gather in the car parks of nearby retail parks.

Hundreds of people gathered to watch souped-up cars being driven through the streets before the high-speed collision.

One heart-stopping video - part of which is too graphic to publish - shows a car pulling out from a junction directly into the path of the Nissan.

The blue speeding car then smashed into the driver's side of the other vehicle.

Both are sent flying into a crowd of onlookers lining the road - standing both on the pavement and on a central reservation.

Dozens of panicked bystanders - many of them teenagers - then rush to help the injured as chilling screams ring out.

Some of the driving that takes place is absolutely crazy with undertaking at speed and to be honest what happened last night was an an accident waiting to happen

One of the victims, Robert Binns, said he was "very lucky" after being inured when he was struck by one of the cars.

He uploaded a photo online showing his neck in a brace after the horror smash.

Mr Binns wrote: "I was hit by one of the cars man. I was sitting down they just told me to stay how I was.

"I was flipped up in the air by the GT86 and landed on my head. Have whip lash concussion, cuts and bruises. So I’m very lucky ."

The crash took place near a Wickes DIY shop on the busy a-road linking Hitchin, Herts with the A10 at Ware at around 9.45pm on Thursday.

HUGE PANIC

Witness Ciaran O'Connor, 33, was on his way home after singing at a local pub’s open mic night when he saw kids “not moving” in the road after the collision.

He told The Sun Online: “I saw the main impact, it was shocking to see. The car veered off into the crowd standing on the side of the road.

“The kids that were standing there had one second to react and they went flying – they had no chance.

“I got out of the car and ran over and there were around seven kids lying in the road, they weren’t moving.

“There was a huge panic, everyone was just running around and screaming – it was chaos.

“People sprinted over to the group and tried to help them, it was pretty bad. I’m just so relieved that no one has died.

I got out of the car and ran over and there were around seven kids lying in the road, they weren’t moving.

“A boy got his arm stuck under the car and I saw people trying to lift the car up.”

Firefighters reportedly had to cut one person from their car following the crash.

It is understood victims suffered broken bones and it's not believed there are any fatalities.

An estimated 400 people had turned out for the weekly meet for members of modified car club Cruise Herts.

Rix Sidhu, 29, part of the Cruise Herts club who organised the meet, insisted the group would no longer host events.

He said today: "Last night there were cars travelling at high speed in each direction. We have decided we are now no  longer holding the meets.

"I think it is unfair we are being tarnished as boy racers when we are car enthusiasts.

"If you are going to race, stick to track. I do not condone street racing. We were having a static meet. We were doing it for charity."

NO ARRESTS

The event was billed as a "static meet" to raise money for charity 4Louis - with organisers warning antisocial behaviour "will not be tolerated".

Cops havelaunched an investigation and have made no arrests.

Assistant Chief Constable Nathan Briant said: “Hertfordshire Constabulary is continuing to work with partners to fully understand the events of yesterday evening in Stevenage. To date we have identified the drivers of both cars involved in the collision and they have been interviewed as part of the on-going investigation.

“Hertfordshire Constabulary has never received prior warning of events such as the one yesterday evening. However, we have previously responded to such gatherings where concerns have been raised by the public.

"Whilst the events do occur regularly the meeting appeared far larger in nature than previous events and it is now understood that an organiser had publicised the meeting on social media as a charity event.

“We identified more than 130 witnesses and an investigative team has been formed to ensure each of these is contacted to obtain their statements.

"We are also aware of a large number of people leaving the area prior to our arrival, among these are likely also to be further witnesses to the collision. We would urge anyone who was at the scene to make contact with us as soon as possible.

"In particular we would ask that anyone with video or dashcam footage of the incident itself, and of the gathering before the incident took place."

A spokesman for the East of England Ambulance Service said: "There were a number of people in the area at the time and people are presently being treated for injuries, some of which are serious."

Last night police said: “We have identified the drivers and they have been interviewed as part of the ongoing investigation.”

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