Cannon Ball Run Busted Today

[Dan Tilkin]

Here's a Washington State Patrol Press Release sent today...

WSP PUTS A TEMPORARY STOP ON “PLAYERS RUN 2005”

At approximately 9:00 AM a reported 50 high dollar sports cars left King County on a multi-state road rally destined to end in Las Vegas, Nevada (according to several of the drivers arrested by Clark County WSP Troopers).

Law enforcement agencies all the way down the I-5 Corridor into Oregon have been receiving reports of these vehicles driving at high speeds. The cars are easily identified by the “Players Run.Com” decals plastered all over the vehicles, (as if their aggressive driving and choice of vehicle were not enough).

At approximately 11:45 AM, today, Troopers in Cowlitz County observed “many” vehicles sporting the “Players Run” decals traveling at extreme high speeds south on I-5. Two of the Troopers managed to get 2 of the vehicles stopped. Trooper Kenny Lutz, south of their location in an unmarked vehicle, had a group of 5 race past him at an estimated 120+ mph. He followed the pack at a distance, their speeds varying between the speed limit and 100+ mph, driving aggressively with constant bad passes, lane travel and following too close violations. A 6th vehicle (the blue NSX) which was not part of the “Players Run” joined the group near Woodland.

Sergeant Roy Rhine in Clark County set up just a short distance of where the pack passed Lutz. When they reached Sgt. Rhine, he and Lutz tried to pull the 6 vehicles over. They failed to yield by continuing at the speed limit or less, by not pulling over for the Troopers. The Troopers ended up doing a rolling road block, stopping all traffic on the freeway and singling out the 6 they wanted and moving them off to the shoulder.

Troopers in Lewis, Cowlitz and Clark Counties ended up stopping approximately 15 of the “Players Run” vehicles, plus 2 others that got “caught up” in the moment. 3 were cited for speed violations of 90+. One for Negligent Driving 2nd Degree ($538.00) and 8 for Reckless Driving (up to $1000.00 fine, 1 year in jail and an automatic 30 day license suspension).

So far the highest recorded speed on one of the vehicles has been 126 mph, (he was cited for reckless). The vehicles were licensed in the states of Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Maryland, Florida and Texas.



A trooper in Lewis county advised one of the cars he stopped, a Porsche, was outfitted with a police scanner, video equipment (live streaming video which he claimed was being sent directly to Las Vegas), GPS unit, communications devices to stay in contact with the other cars and the driver claimed some of the vehicles were outfitted with devices to jam police radar. The same driver told the Trooper that “we are just a bunch of wealthy guys that have money to spend on gadgets”, “We are enthusiasts”. Driver’s told the troopers that to participate they had to sign an agreement that they wouldn’t break the law while on the run.

[ALLEN ENGLISH]

Good story, but where are the pictures?

[Dan Tilkin]

sorry, no pics, not transferrable from the press release