Micheal Waltrip cited for Wreckless Driving

[joerockhead]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news?...v=ap&type=lgns

April 10, 2007

SHERRILL'S FORD, N.C. (AP) -- Michael Waltrip has been charged with reckless driving and failing to report an accident after hitting a telephone pole and rolling his car about a mile from his home over the weekend.

Waltrip, who suffered scratches to his arms, hands and face and cuts on his finger, said he fell asleep at the wheel right before he wrecked his Toyota Land Cruiser early Saturday morning. He left the scene of the accident and walked the rest of the way home.

Police found him at his house several hours after finding the car at the accident scene.

``I am really embarrassed about the accident, but I feel fortunate that I wasn't hurt,'' the two-time Daytona 500 winner said Tuesday.

``For 25 years I have had a great driving record. I consider myself to be a courteous and safe driver on public roads. I never expected to fall a sleep behind the wheel of a car.''

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Police said the accident happened before 2 a.m. when Waltrip lost control of his SUV while driving around a curve and overcorrected. His car rolled and hit a utility pole, said Sgt. Brian Sharpe of the State Highway Patrol in Catawba County.

The vehicle, which was on its side, was abandoned and there was blood in it when police arrived. Witnesses reported seeing the driver crawl from the car and leave.

``He left the scene,'' Sharpe said. ``We got the plate number, realized it was him and tried to locate him.''

An attempt to locate him that morning was unsuccessful, but police reached him later Saturday. Waltrip was not arrested.

It's the latest troubles for Waltrip, who is having a horrendous first season as a car owner.

He was caught cheating during Daytona 500 preparations when NASCAR found a fuel additive in his engine, and was docked a record 100 driver points. His crew chief was fined a record $100,000 and suspended indefinitely, as was his competition director.

Meanwhile, he has failed to qualify for the five races since the 500.

Dale Jarrett, who drives one of Waltrip's cars, has needed a provisional to make five of the six races this year and is currently 37th in the points. David Reutimann, his other driver, has failed to make two races and is 43rd in points.

[99blueZ]

how the hell do you fall asleep only 1 mile from your home lol

[Kevin91Z]

Reckless. Wreckless means "without wrecking."

Looks like Mikey Waltrip cant drive on OR off the track!

[DooberGN]

Thats what he gets for turning right

[snaggeltooth]

on ESPN there is a vid .. And the reporter says Michael told the police he did not know you had to report a accident if you were the only one in it .. Like you can take a dump in NASCAR and there not be 20 reporters telling you what it looks like and what is smells like ....lol

[jad628]

Do you know how close that is in relationship to where Rob Moroso wrecked and got killed? Maybe five miles.

I don't know if Waltrip is a drinker, but I'm pretty sure I know a contibuting factor in a lot of these types of "abandoned" crashes.

[s79]

Yep......looks like he staggered home to avoid taking a breath test and worry about trying to explain it away to the sponsors later. Idiot

[91Z28]

Do you know how close that is in relationship to where Rob Moroso wrecked and got killed? Maybe five miles.

I don't know if Waltrip is a drinker, but I'm pretty sure I know a contibuting factor in a lot of these types of "abandoned" crashes.

Haha, when I was in the Army my friend wrapped his Durango around a tree while drunk driving. He was charged with fleeing the scene but he claims he hit a deer and they really couldn't prove he was drunk so he got lucky. I imagine most abandoned wrecks would likely be drunken accidents, but I guess you can't prove it convincingly.

[jad628]

Haha, when I was in the Army my friend wrapped his Durango around a tree while drunk driving. He was charged with fleeing the scene but he claims he hit a deer and they really couldn't prove he was drunk so he got lucky. I imagine most abandoned wrecks would likely be drunken accidents, but I guess you can't prove it convincingly.

Exactly. Within twenty or so miles of where this happened (but about 18 years ago), I got called to something similar. I came up (at night) to a Jeep Cherokee in a hole about eight feet deep (it was a construction zone and a ditch where sewer pipe was being laid). Only the back part of the Jeep was visible and it was resting on the its grill/front bumper. Unoccupied. About thirty minutes later, as the tow truck guy showed up, here comes the owner walking up from nowhere. He "claimed" the vehicle was stolen. Circumstances said otherwise. Especially since the time line was really screwed up and he couldn't have possibly walked there like he claimed in that time. He was very drunk, but I couldn't touch him. I could have pushed it and locked him up, but even if the Magistrate didn't NPC it, I would have lost it in court. I just lambasted him a bit, and told him I knew damn well it wasn't stolen, but if he wanted me to, I would take a report. Of course, that meant I would have the Jeep printed and if I only found his fingerprints, I would charge him with making a false police report. He re-canted quickly.

It was the best I could get. I'm sure his insurance company made him sorry as well. Sometimes, you cut your losses.

[91Z28]

Exactly. Within twenty or so miles of where this happened (but about 18 years ago), I got called to something similar. I came up (at night) to a Jeep Cherokee in a hole about eight feet deep (it was a construction zone and a ditch where sewer pipe was being laid). Only the back part of the Jeep was visible and it was resting on the its grill/front bumper. Unoccupied. About thirty minutes later, as the tow truck guy showed up, here comes the owner walking up from nowhere. He "claimed" the vehicle was stolen. Circumstances said otherwise. Especially since the time line was really screwed up and he couldn't have possibly walked there like he claimed in that time. He was very drunk, but I couldn't touch him. I could have pushed it and locked him up, but even if the Magistrate didn't NPC it, I would have lost it in court. I just lambasted him a bit, and told him I knew damn well it wasn't stolen, but if he wanted me to, I would take a report. Of course, that meant I would have the Jeep printed and if I only found his fingerprints, I would charge him with making a false police report. He re-canted quickly.

It was the best I could get. I'm sure his insurance company made him sorry as well. Sometimes, you cut your losses.

In that case I'm suprised you couldn't have taken him into custody since he was at the scene intoxicated. I forgot to add that my friend who wrecked his Durango is now a police officer in Apex, North Carolina. He had counted on that being his job after being discharged too. He was sweating bullets when he had to appear for leaving the scene because of that. Whenever I see published DUI statistics, I wonder now how many alcohol-related crashes aren't accounted for.

[jad628]

In that case I'm suprised you couldn't have taken him into custody since he was at the scene intoxicated. I forgot to add that my friend who wrecked his Durango is now a police officer in Apex, North Carolina. He had counted on that being his job after being discharged too. He was sweating bullets when he had to appear for leaving the scene because of that. Whenever I see published DUI statistics, I wonder now how many alcohol-related crashes aren't accounted for.

That was the problem. He walked up thirty minutes or so AFTER I got there.

He said the right things and I knew I couldn't win it. Such is life.

Good for your buddy. They are very particular about those things.

Many crashes. Too many to even imagine.

[Blown25thT/A]

Looks like Mikey Waltrip cant drive on OR off the track!

Damn you beat me to it.

[Spaz]

how the hell do you fall asleep only 1 mile from your home lol

70% of all accidents happen 1 mile away from your home...

[snaggeltooth]

Do you know how close that is in relationship to where Rob Moroso wrecked and got killed? Maybe five miles.

I don't know if Waltrip is a drinker, but I'm pretty sure I know a contibuting factor in a lot of these types of "abandoned" crashes.

I remember Rob ... He and Davey was suposed to be the new championship leaders ..and now both died a long time ago ...Well their fans still miss them very much ... Rest in Peace guys ....

[1fastcamarosss11]

i bet if he drives like this ever again on the track he may win.

[jad628]

i bet if he drives like this ever again on the track he may win.

I wonder if he will use NAPA parts to fix it?

Whoops, my bad....

[91Z28]

That was the problem. He walked up thirty minutes or so AFTER I got there.

He said the right things and I knew I couldn't win it. Such is life.

Good for your buddy. They are very particular about those things.

Many crashes. Too many to even imagine.

The legal system is weird sometimes. Obviously if the car was stolen, the odds of him being intoxicated wherever it ends up wrecked are nil. But of course you couldn't completely prove otherwise, so I see how in this case he got away.

[310stanger]

You would think a professional race car driver would have better car control then that? He obviously was sippin grandpas cough medicine that night. lol

[Blown25thT/A]

You would think a professional race car driver would have better car control then that? He obviously was sippin grandpas cough medicine that night. lol

His right front went flat....it wouldn't turn...it just wasn't setup to his likens'.

I'm sure he could come up with other excuesses. We'll start with those.

[Pitchlock]

70% of all accidents happen 1 mile away from your home...

Thats why I am moving down the raod. Its a nice house about 5 miles away.