CombatVet13
New Member
I was reading the forum about the Ball Road car accident and the forums here and think I can shed a little light on the comparison to the accident in 1999 involving Mike Vito. I was very good friends with him and the passengers in his car. I even saw him seconds before his accident occured. I also knew a passenger in the car that was allegedly racing him very well. Yes, it is true that Mike Vito and this other person who wrecked on Ball Road were related, they were first cousins. Its a shame that both accidents happened especially when they could have been prevented.
Yes, Mike had a 1998 Mustang GT at the age of 17. He actually had a older Mustang LX prior to that. Was Vito racing someone back in January of 1999 when he wrecked and hit the U-Haul? Absolutely not!!!
At the entrance to the Chesapeake Ranch Estates, the other driver went around traffic making a left turn on the right side of the road and continued driving south on Rousby Hall Road. I observed Vito sitting behind 2 cars waiting to turn and then getting into his Mustang full throttle at a high rate of speed. I lost the other guy going around the turn and Vito also several seconds later. I made my left turn and heard about the accident as soon as I got home from a friend.
The other guy was accused of drag racing, passing on the right, negligent driving, wreckless driving, and the 4 vehicular homicide charges, and failure to slow down when being overtaken.
1- Rousby Hall Rd is a 2 laned road, how could it be a drag race if the cars were not side by side when the Mustang wrecked?
2- One of my family members knew people in the sheriff's department. It was estimated the Mustang made impact with the truck going 90mph. It was not a head on impact, it was actually a T-Bone impact and when I saw the skidmarks it was obvious the car was going sideways before impact for quite a distance which means the car was actually slowing down when impact occured. Why did Mustang return to the lane so abruptly and slide for such a distance before making impact? Vito did not return to the lane abruptly to avoid hitting the truck.
3- The other car was a early 80's Cutlass with a 3.8 V6. that weighed 2000 lbs more than a Mustang. An actual drag race between the two would not have been a close race. In fact, theres no comparison between the two.
4- I had a 1992 Mercury at the time which had the same engine as the Cutlass. I went pedal to the floor many times at the front gate to the Ranch Estates and the fastest I could get up to where impact occured was between 55-60mph. The two cars were not even close to each other when the Mustang lost control.
The charge of passing on the right was interesting. Saying the only way the other teen would have been in the situation was because he passed a few cars waiting in line and got back on the road. I drive by that accident site and the front gate every morning and 6 months after the accident occured it was made LEGAL to pass there and the road lines were modified.
When most fatal accidents occur with teens, its evident there needs to be justification as to why something so tragic could happen. In this most recent case, it was alcohol. But to myself and anyone that knew what happened that day it seemed like there was pressure to assign blame on someone. I felt like blame was assigned the only place it could. My friend that was in the other teen's car told me that she kept telling authorities the two weren't racing and was called a liar. Her parents were even accused of being bad parents for letting her ride in the car with a teen at the age of 15 and for not supervising her. The only person driving negligent that day was Vito. Its distressing to say that of an old friend and even harder to go to three funerals in 2 days.
The other teen lost his license for a year as part of a plea agreement, pleading guilty only to reckless driving. My understanding was he did so because of passing on the right and if found guilty on reckless driving could lose his license for 4 years til the age of 21. Last I heard he moved on with his life.
**If he had been 100% at fault, why would a plea offer be given? If the 2 were drag racing and doing all of the things they said he did (having witnesses in the car, and those who saw it happen) why would you even offer a plea????
Its a shame there are so many accidents involving teens. Being 25 now, I can say ive lost more friends to car accidents than overseas fighting in Iraq for 2 tours.
Yes, Mike had a 1998 Mustang GT at the age of 17. He actually had a older Mustang LX prior to that. Was Vito racing someone back in January of 1999 when he wrecked and hit the U-Haul? Absolutely not!!!
At the entrance to the Chesapeake Ranch Estates, the other driver went around traffic making a left turn on the right side of the road and continued driving south on Rousby Hall Road. I observed Vito sitting behind 2 cars waiting to turn and then getting into his Mustang full throttle at a high rate of speed. I lost the other guy going around the turn and Vito also several seconds later. I made my left turn and heard about the accident as soon as I got home from a friend.
The other guy was accused of drag racing, passing on the right, negligent driving, wreckless driving, and the 4 vehicular homicide charges, and failure to slow down when being overtaken.
1- Rousby Hall Rd is a 2 laned road, how could it be a drag race if the cars were not side by side when the Mustang wrecked?
2- One of my family members knew people in the sheriff's department. It was estimated the Mustang made impact with the truck going 90mph. It was not a head on impact, it was actually a T-Bone impact and when I saw the skidmarks it was obvious the car was going sideways before impact for quite a distance which means the car was actually slowing down when impact occured. Why did Mustang return to the lane so abruptly and slide for such a distance before making impact? Vito did not return to the lane abruptly to avoid hitting the truck.
3- The other car was a early 80's Cutlass with a 3.8 V6. that weighed 2000 lbs more than a Mustang. An actual drag race between the two would not have been a close race. In fact, theres no comparison between the two.
4- I had a 1992 Mercury at the time which had the same engine as the Cutlass. I went pedal to the floor many times at the front gate to the Ranch Estates and the fastest I could get up to where impact occured was between 55-60mph. The two cars were not even close to each other when the Mustang lost control.
The charge of passing on the right was interesting. Saying the only way the other teen would have been in the situation was because he passed a few cars waiting in line and got back on the road. I drive by that accident site and the front gate every morning and 6 months after the accident occured it was made LEGAL to pass there and the road lines were modified.
When most fatal accidents occur with teens, its evident there needs to be justification as to why something so tragic could happen. In this most recent case, it was alcohol. But to myself and anyone that knew what happened that day it seemed like there was pressure to assign blame on someone. I felt like blame was assigned the only place it could. My friend that was in the other teen's car told me that she kept telling authorities the two weren't racing and was called a liar. Her parents were even accused of being bad parents for letting her ride in the car with a teen at the age of 15 and for not supervising her. The only person driving negligent that day was Vito. Its distressing to say that of an old friend and even harder to go to three funerals in 2 days.
The other teen lost his license for a year as part of a plea agreement, pleading guilty only to reckless driving. My understanding was he did so because of passing on the right and if found guilty on reckless driving could lose his license for 4 years til the age of 21. Last I heard he moved on with his life.
**If he had been 100% at fault, why would a plea offer be given? If the 2 were drag racing and doing all of the things they said he did (having witnesses in the car, and those who saw it happen) why would you even offer a plea????
Its a shame there are so many accidents involving teens. Being 25 now, I can say ive lost more friends to car accidents than overseas fighting in Iraq for 2 tours.
No cop bashing, now go to your room.
