High speed Lambo crash in Vegas...

MarkPDX · Aug 9, 2004

Car worth $285,000 destroyed in high-speed wreck

By Lynn Doan
LAS VEGAS SUN

A Las Vegas man may think twice next time before going out of town and leaving the keys to a $285,000 sports car available to young visitors staying at his house.

A 21-year-old French tourist took David Aninowsky's black 2004 Lamborghini for a 100 mph spin down Buffalo Drive about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday and totaled the sleek vehicle near Coley Avenue, Metro Police said.

The driver, Clement Picquet, lost control of the car, overcorrected and the Lamborghini spun out of control. The car left 422 feet of tire marks before striking a curb, sending it onto a sidewalk. It then plowed through 40 feet of brick wall before hitting a fire hydrant, a street pole, a fence and a dog, which was killed.

The car continued for another 270 feet before it stopped, then burst into flames.

Picquet came out of the wreck uninjured and refused medical treatment. His passenger, Clement Nouanet, was treated at University Medical Center for minor burns, according to Metro Police officer Tina Ellison and the accident report.

The Lamborghini was destroyed.

Police officers marveled that the two people in the car not only survived but didn't suffer more serious injuries. Lamborghini's Web site notes that the chassis of this model is extraordinarily strong because it is made of steel and carbon.

Ellison said Picquet was cited for reckless driving.

Craig Huntington, who lives across the street from where the accident occurred, said the damage was phenomenal.

"These people's brick wall is about about four feet high, and (the car) wiped out about a third of it," said Huntington, who was not home at the time of the accident.

The driver told police he had had borrowed the car from a friend, David Aninowsky, who was out of town.

"We don't know if he had permission or not at this time," Ellison said.

The hardtop Lamborghini Murcielago, named after a Spanish bull, can reach speeds of up to 200 mph, Exoticar Paint Works owner Mike Iannuccilli said. The car can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds.

"It's not like a Chevy," he said.

Iannuccilli said he only repairs a few Lamborghinis each year, usually for minor damages like bumper touch ups. He said the high-end cars are usually wrecked by inexperienced drivers who "let the cars get away from them."

Metro Police Lt. Wayne Petersen said the crash was a rare occurence.

"Cars worth more than people's houses aren't usually driven around these streets," said Peterson, who works in the traffic section. "There just aren't many people who would drive quarter-of-a-million-dollar cars around."

Peterson said he couldn't even remember the last time Metro Police were called to a traffic accident involving a Lamborghini.

Ellison said the owner may not even know what has happened to his car if he is still out of town, though she did say she thinks Picquet may have lost a friend.
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MarkPDX · Aug 9, 2004

More on the subject from the RX-8 owners club forum....

A Must Read/see

OK this took place in the early morning of July 28th in Las Vegas, NV.

I was on my way home from work around 2:30 or 3.am I was going N. on Buffalo just past DI when I see flashing lights. As we get closer we realize its a accident. On the right we see a brick wall that was the length of a home completely taken out along with a street light and car parts all over the road. We slow down as a officer is waving to pass on the opposite side of the road. This road has 2-lains on each side road with a median in the middle. We see one car on a tower truck burnt like hell. I could not make it out. Dubree was all over the road, car doors head light, hood? I just happen to have my Camera with me at the time. We pull over to get a closer look. At this time CH13 news shows up. There was a young man 20-25 all in black they where talking to him and a older couple. We asked the towing truck guy and a officer if we can take some shots. As I got closer I thought, no one could have survived this. There's no way. The car that was a burnt box on the back of this truck was a Lamborghini Murcielago

! I could not believe it. He wiped out going over 150MPH! Said the offiver. Take a look.

The driver was ejected from the car with no injuries what so ever. The owner was in the passenger seat and was taken to the hospital for minor burns on his face and arm but is OK. The driver was drinking but passed that one test they give them, but failed the Breathalyzer. The officer said he don't speak a work of English only French and that he had lost control of the car.

But thats not what I think happen. Check this out. We traced the scene later that morning at 5.am. He was driving N on Buffalo on the right lane. He's at the inter-section of Buffalo and DI. Light turns green an there off. 200 yards up on the left lane tire marks spin out and on to the right lane he is traveling on then back tot eh left lane. He then slams on the brakes before the tire makes in front of him, to avoid hitting the other car he swerves to the left then back to the right lane but, skids 300 yards in to a brick wall then skids and slides 300 more yards then the car caught fire and burnt the asphalt too. When he starts to skid, there's a second pair of tire marks on the ground indicating a second vehicle was involved in "street racing". The second pair of tire marks start in front of him on the left lane?

Huummmmm. What can go faster than a Lamborghini? or more less keep up? Well on Buffalo I have seen a silver Lamborghini D. At first I thought this is the silver Lambo and this is the car Im looking at.

The 2nd suspect. A GT3 turned out yellow Porsche that has CIRQUE on his liscen plate thats all way tearing a$$ around there too.

So this is how I figured it all went wrong. They're at the light. They go for it. 200 yards later the car on the left lane loses it spins out of control coursing him to slam on his brakes swerves to the left to avoid hitting him but pulled to much to the right and could not gain control of the car and in to the wall he goes. The driver was ejected from the car during the wreck, so the 2ns car must have seen him and seeing the wreck thought: no way that guy is going to live, then took off. Thats manslaughter and leaving the scene of a "crime". But what the hell do they care right? Hes prob on his way back to France.

OK there is one said part. See that thing hanging on the right wheel? Its a small dog. Maybe he coused the wreck? thing is the 2piece wheel with tire was on the other side of the street? but the dog is on the spoke ... May be he wiped out then took out the dog?.
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ryalex · Aug 9, 2004

Wow. That stinks. How do you explain that to your friend?

It's also amazing he could lose control of an AWD car on a street in Las Vegas... I mean, I've been there, and it's pretty flat.

Stackhouse · Aug 9, 2004

ryalex said:

Wow. That stinks. How do you explain that to your friend?
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In French. That explains it all!

PD

atheyg · Aug 9, 2004

Too bad this moron POS driver didn't kill himself instead of someones pet.

He needs to get his ass sued off, I know someone that can do it I'll refer this too.

Bertus · Aug 9, 2004

"It's not like a Chevy," he said.

WJHMH · Aug 9, 2004

"Ellison said the owner may not even know what has happened to his car if he is still out of town, though she did say she thinks Picquet may have lost a friend."

He does now thanks to the internet.

It's a shame about the dog, though.

dmcgill · Aug 9, 2004

"Their arn't many people that would drive a quarter-million dollar car around"

Says who? These people are stupid. Thats a really sad story, i actually drove by that wreck that night when coming home from a party. I couldn't make out the car...weird it was a Murcielago, i guessed it to be something totally different. I hope the owner has some really good insurance.

-Doug

robiferretti · Aug 9, 2004

we dont knwo if the car was used with permission or not... the owner is still out of town. Doesn't the fater usually get contacted when his son goes to the hospital with burn injuries, let alone a possible theft?

MAHOOL · Aug 10, 2004

You think the guys insurance will cover that??????????

Drive someones car only if you can take full responsibility,
I think this is a Job for 'Tony Saprano'

Gimme Fuel · Aug 10, 2004

ryalex said:

Wow. That stinks. How do you explain that to your friend?

It's also amazing he could lose control of an AWD car on a street in Las Vegas... I mean, I've been there, and it's pretty flat.
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You DONT explain it, you just ruuuuuuuuun!! "Run Forest, run"

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