Carlsbad man dies in Baja 500 truck accident
Race officials said Tuesday that Chris Lokken was a rider in a buggy that had a transmission breakdown around the 196th mile in the Tecate SCORE 500 early Sunday. He had no radio communication but flagged down a passing truck that was competing in another race class while the buggy driver remained behind, SCORE officials said.
"They agreed to drive him to the next checkpoint … and they could get assistance," race spokesman Dominic Clark said.
Lokken, a 31-year-old from Carlsbad, sat behind the seats inside the stretched cab — an area without a seat or seat belt. He wore his helmet, but it was unbuckled, SCORE CEO Sal Fish said.
The truck was about a mile from the checkpoint when the course went up a steep hill.
The truck couldn't make it up. It backed up to make another try but in doing so went over the side, rolling over and over down a 100-yard ravine, Fish said.
Lokken was thrown from the truck and his helmet came off. He died at the scene of head and internal injuries, Clark said.
The other two people in the truck were wearing helmets and seat belts and were not hurt.
"It's a very bizarre incident. Nothing like this has ever happened," Clark said. Yahoo! Sports