Feb 18, 2008 12:29 pm US/Eastern
Police Begin Identifying P.G. Co. Crash Victims
ACCOKEEK, Md. (WJZ) ―
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Eight people were killed in Saturday's deadly street racing crash in Prince George's County.
Police are now identifying some of the victims from Saturday's deadly street racing crash in Prince George's County.
Eight people were killed after a car not involved in the race itself, plowed into a crowd of onlookers.
Mary Bubala reports so far authorities have released the names of six of the eight killed in the accident.
Mark Courtney, Daryl Wills, Maycol Lopez, Blaine Briscoe, William Gaines and Ervin Gardner were all killed in the accident.
Relatives of the victims are still in shock and unable to comprehend the horror of the early morning crash that killed the racing fans.
Family members have already begun to leave temporary memorials at the scene of the state's most deadly street racing accident.
"Right now, it's like a dream. I can't believe this happened. You see this stuff on TV, and you never think it will happen to you," said an onlooker.
Irma Harris brought balloons for her friend Ervin Gardner, who was about to celebrate his birthday.
"So I'm going to miss him and I just wanted him to know that we'll always remember him," she said.
The straight and long stretches of Route 210 in rural Prince George's County make it ideal for amateur street racing.
The dark of night and clouds of burning rubber and exhaust made it hard for the 20-year-old driver of a Crown Victoria to see a group of about 50 fans who had stepped in the road.
The Crown Victoria came down the highway after two cars involved in the race had taken off down the road.
At the same time, a crowd of about 50 people stepped into the road to see the race.
"There were people standing on the side of the road; my father was one of them. The car hit the people. Some died instantly, others got thrown then died," said a relative of one victim.
"My mom was trying to grab my grandfather, then when it hit him, all his body pieces just jumped up," said a witness.
Making matters worse, an 18-wheeler also came through the body-littered highway moments later as the two street racers took off.
Tarps covered the bodies of the victims ranging in age from 20-60.
"This is not what these roads are for. There are places this can be done legally, but county roads are not the place to do it," said a police officer.
Some people around the area say they've complained about the racers before, but they're so fast they're gone before police arrive.
Police are not looking at charges against the Crown Victoria driver, but they are still hoping to question more witnesses.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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