Michael Waltrip involved in minor traffic accident with motorcyclist
By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor
Thursday, October 22, 2009
NASCAR Sprint Cup driver/team co-owner Michael Waltrip was cited for failure to yield after a traffic accident Wednesday night that left a motorcyclist being treated for apparently minor injuries at a hospital, according to a police report.
The accident occurred on Perth Road in Mooresville, N.C., as Waltrip made a right turn onto the four-lane road and then attempted a quick U-turn once he got by a concrete median. According to the police report, the motorcyclist ran into Waltrip’s Lexus when Waltrip attempted to cross over the far left lane of traffic while attempting to make his U-turn. It was estimated that Waltrip was going about 5 mph, while the motorcyclist was going 20 mph.
Waltrip passed all field sobriety tests and had a blood alcohol level of .06 – under the legal limit of .08, according to the police report. The motorcyclist stated at the hospital while being treated that he had drank two beers earlier, according to the police report. The report said the motorcyclist had visible bruises and/or swelling but no sign of broken bones nor significant blood loss.
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41 responses to "Michael Waltrip involved in minor traffic accident with motorcyclist". Post a Comment.
mrclause said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 1:47 PMAre you really shilling for waltrip now as well as NASCAR? What exactly was the BA level of the bike rider? Waltrip made another bone headed move with alcohol involved, end of story. He doesn't seem to drive better off the track than he does on! Maybe this explains some of his on air rudeness and constant running of the mouth. All we need now is DW making some lame excuse for Mikey.
BILLFAN50 said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 2:24 PMMRCLAUSE,I think you have about covered it.. Now all we have to do is wait for the law suit!
jlanphere said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 2:36 PMSmall story...HUGE deal!!! Almost drunk, hit a motorcyclist. Sponsors beware!!!! Everyone beware!! Mikey is getting out of the race car "just in time". Now, what's the difference between Mikey and Mayfield. Substance abuse, injury to an innocent citizen through negligence, oh, that's right, Mayfield didn't injure anyone. Someone needs to show this arrogant dork the door, BEFORE he kills someone, even himself. SPEED, NASCAR, ESPN, his old lady.....reality check time!!!!!
SmokeisaBaby said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 2:45 PMWhen reading this article, I am sure several Nascar drivers hand painful flashbacks.
allangearnhardt said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 3:02 PMLeave it to Mikie to make this mistake....just as crappy of a driver on the streets as he is on the track. .06 blood alcohol level....yeah right.
jdxenterprises said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 3:06 PMI am not perfect so I can't cast any stones. Thank goodness the rider wasn't seriously hurt.
snohio said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 3:14 PMI'd like to double check that police report, but it is $2. The motorcyclist said he had two beers, but this article doesn't mention his BA level. Pockrass, double check it and get back with us. Anyone who drives a motorcycle after one beer is an idiot. It is just too easy to make a mistake (not saying Mikey wasn't at fault, because I am sure he was.) God Speed to the cyclist, but don't drink and drive a motorcycle again, ever.
mhudzinski said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 3:18 PMMichael really does his organization as an owner and sponsors proud. In the wall one day, in the ditch another, and now taking out the locals....you could be next!
xmant2000 said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 3:19 PMAt least he didn't leave the scene this time.
jerryswiatek said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 3:26 PMMan some of you are full of hatred, Hope you don't work for a team that needs good attitudes!
rae said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 3:39 PM#10 I agree! So many of these comments are usually filled with either hatred or stupidity. If I read the article correctly, didn't it say the guy on the mototcycle ran into Waltrip not Waltrip ran into him?
JrsTheMan88 said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 3:43 PM0.06?! Thats still pretty high! I think I've lost all my respect for Michael.
SmokeLover said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 3:44 PMHope the cycle driver is ok, this'll no doubt cost Mikey a little dough when the motorcyclist finds out who hit him. I agree with JERRYSWIATEK and JDXENTERPRISES, I'm not perfect either.
odonnell-adam said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 3:50 PM.06 would be like one or two beers. Most guys leaving dinner would have that. He wasn't drunk, they just gave him the test as standard operating procedure. Shouldn't even be part of the story.
The story is he tried to make a quick U-turn and had a fender-bender. A mistake, yes, but let's not call it a DUI when it wasn't.
jlanphere said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 4:05 PMI am not perfect either, he didn't hit the motorcyclist, he turned in front of him and the rider hit him. You all sound like fans, forgive anything. One or two beers, .06, was that on the way up or down. How can you possibly make excuses for such borderline irresponsible behavior. This is what designated drivers are for, when you may be in a compromised position and don't want to jeapordize others. This whole story reeks.......Michael .06???, biker one or two beers???, what gives?????
Werner said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 4:09 PMone article praising MW and then this one...good thing it was only "minor"...
will the motorcyclist file a lawsuit?...
ktgrosch said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 4:19 PMWell Michael might have blown a .06 as well as the guy on the bike but at Charlotte and every other track, there are hundreds, maybe thousands of race fans jumping behind the wheel after consuming a 6-12 beers during a race & think nothing of it. They'd be blowing way over a .08 which is why I leave with about 50-75 laps to go to avoid the drunks as well as the crowd. That's pretty irresponsible too but there's no way the NCHP can monitor 70,000 vehicles leaving the speedway in less than 1 1/2 hours.
mhudzinski said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 4:26 PMSo why was Michael making a quick U turn anyway with on coming traffic, when could have gone down the road, turned left safely, and then made his U turn up a side street before heading the other way?
And why is all of his negative news always something to do with his driving skills.. on track or public roads?
However on the plus side, he does make funny commercials..maybe sitcoms are his future. Time to hang it up Mikey.
You're a good guy who needs to face the fact that it's over. Be the boss and get your race teams in line for the future.
spdbmp said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 4:26 PMWhat about his SHOES? Was he still wearing them this time?
DonnaJR88 said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 4:28 PMrae said:Oct 22, 2009 at 3:39 PM
#10 I agree! So many of these comments are usually filled with either hatred or stupidity. If I read the article correctly, didn't it say the guy on the mototcycle ran into Waltrip not Waltrip ran into him?
Rae - the motorcyclist ran into Michael because Michael made a uturn in front of him & there was nowhere else for him to go. I've lost count of the times this has happened to me & my husband when we're out on our Harley. Most people in vehicles just don't see motorcycles - we're invisible to them! I'm glad this was only minor and hope Michael has learned a valuable lesson from it.
4EVER3 said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 5:03 PMIt's easy to condemn a person for a mistake.How many have never made one?
jlanphere said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 5:49 PMA drunk???? driver killed my wife, her best friends husband and her friends mother. It only takes one MISTAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
wmvjr1960 said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 6:25 PMCalifornia just passed AB-91... mandatory blow devices for first time offenders with .080 and you lose your license for a year, get 2 days in jail, fines, classes and a ignition device. Two more sips for Mikey... that is how close it was, and who says the cop wasn't a fan and gave him a break because of who he was. Notice I said WAS. He's done. He has been an embarrasment for the last 2 yrs at least. Not judging, just stating facts.
alisoeddie said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 7:04 PMThis is a cry for help.Mikey needs to enter into rehabilitation to get help with an obvious problem with alcohol.
Do the right thing Mikey,before you hurt someone critically or worse.
dale-jr-is-the-greatest-driver-alive said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 7:05 PMok uhh fact one-he wasnt over the limit....fact 2 -he didnt hit the guy the guy hit him going 20 while mickey went 5 and fact 3- im pretty sure most of yall have made an illegal u turn before
Kadach said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 7:08 PMMikey is waiting for Darrall to retire from TV so he can take his job...
tire-girl said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 7:19 PMWow. You all are nuts (with a few exceptions of course!). Especially wmvjr1960, you just leave that special kind of California stuff (and that is not the word I mean) where it belongs, trust me, no one outside of california would find that kind of law....normal. Some motorcyclist hits someone, heck yea, pull out the noose and hang him- the victim that is! Bob, please find real stories, and learn how to report in a just the facts and all the facts kind of way.
nascar_lady99 said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 8:14 PMITS AN UNCALLED FOR ACCIDENT BUT BEFORE YOU POINT TOO MANY DIRECTIONS....LIKE SOMEONE SAID THEY BETTER CHECK EVERYONE LEAVING THE RACES AND ALL PRERACE GATHERINGS INCLUDING DRIVERS AND TEAMS WHO CANNOT WAIT TO GO PARTY!
troyhackney said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 8:20 PMI remember him setting at a media table and crying as he told the story of his daughter asking why he was drinkng and driving last time. I guess lesson NOT learned.
meanjoegreen59 said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 9:03 PMDon't drink and drive. Period. Motorcycle, car or truck!!!!!
crowe1946 said:
Oct 22, 2009 at 11:29 PMYeah,,, wheres the last one I sent???
mssgreendot said:
Oct 23, 2009 at 4:58 AMReading the article I believe it said the motorcycle hit Mikey. Who hasn't made an illegal u-turn around here, these roads are crazy.
However, I believe Mikey if he is drinking just like the rest of us needs a designated driver, and I volunteer.
johnson023 said:
Oct 23, 2009 at 5:03 AMOne drink is to many to get behind a wheel bike or car.MADD!!!!!
ipopakeg293388 said:
Oct 23, 2009 at 11:27 AMMikey shouldn't ride a 'BIG WHEEL' drunk or sober! MAMWDW!
jlanphere said:
Oct 23, 2009 at 12:57 PMWhy is the only mention about Mikey's escapade on SceneDaily.com?????? DUH!!!!!
Werner said:
Oct 23, 2009 at 3:58 PM#11 Rae...MW was cited for "failure to yield"...so how did you figure the bike ran into him......i hope MW has bad eyesight, cause i hate to say it, leaving a race there's alot of drivers who i'll bet are 3 times higher than MW was...
medwards476 said:
Oct 24, 2009 at 1:24 AM36Werner said:Oct 23, 2009 at 3:58 PM
#11 Rae...MW was cited for "failure to yield"...so how did you figure the bike ran into him.....
Werner, it stated in the article: "According to the police report, the motorcyclist ran into Waltrip’s Lexus when Waltrip attempted to cross over the far left lane of traffic"
I believe that says & indicates the motorcyclist ran into Waltrip's car...could be wrong...but that is what I read & copied from the article. Where I live the motorcyclists are daredevils, so much so we call them "donorcyclists"--since they end up in the ER quite frequently, mostly for driving stupid & reckless. I would like to know what the cyclists BA was.
Werner said:
Oct 24, 2009 at 10:34 AMi ride a pedal bike in town...i suppose if a car pulls in front of me at a cross walk, it would be possible that I ran into the the car...but who pulled in front of who?...i was taught when making a u-turn, make sure it's legal and then proceed with caution...
medwards476 said:
Oct 24, 2009 at 1:34 PMIt was more than likely legal, BUT if it was at night (since the article said "Wednesday night"), likely when Michael was making the U-turn he was in mid-turn when the motorcyclist hit his car. Ergo, the motorcyclist ran into Michael's car. Since the motorcyclist was going straight and Michael was making a U-turn (or even a left turn) Michael had to yield right of way to oncoming traffic....since the motorcyclist hit him, Michael failed to yield right of way--that was all.
medwards476 said:
Oct 24, 2009 at 1:35 PMSince the article only listed the failure to yield right of way; the u-turn was more than likely legal, otherwise he would have been cited for that as well.
medwards476 said:
Oct 24, 2009 at 1:52 PMI also failed to mention in post #39--if it was at night, there was a good probility Michael did not see the motorcyclist coming. Some people don't turn their lights on at night when they drive...cars & motorcyclists alike. I work as a delivery driver, and have worked nights--it is not uncommon to encounter 20-30 people traveling at night (4-5x a week) without their headlights on. Even "auto" lights can be manually turned off; which I have done with my 08 Cobalt. And if Michael was in mid-turn, he was likely looking "straight" (where his car was heading); not with his head turned to the right, and thus did not see the motorcyclist. Either way, thankfully it was a minor accident and no one was seriously injured.