New Jersey police escorted supercars at high speed
A probe into whether police helped escort a New Jersey supercar "Death Race" has seen two state troopers suspended.
Sergeant Nadir Nassry and trooper Joseph Ventrella have been suspended
following the launch of a state investigation into an incident that happened last month.
About 30 Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Porsches were led by a pair of police cruiser escorts down the state's Garden State Parkway early March 30, reports Bloomberg.
According to several official complaints, the supercar convoy was weaving between traffic at speeds of up to 160 km/h (100 mph), almost forcing some cars off of the toll road.
(That's not the convoy above, but a photo from a legitimate charity event.)
Police allegedly led the pack with their sirens flashing; the supercars' licence plates had been wrapped in tape.
“The state is very lucky no one was killed today,” said Wayne Gantt, who wrote a letter to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. He called the incident "Death Race 2012" in his complaint.
The state routinely provides escorts for funerals, large groups and public figures, and a public figure may, in fact, have been involved in the incident.
San Francisco 49ers football player Brandon Jacobs received a police escort down the turnpike last month, though his agent says he's not sure if it was the same one referred to in the complaints.
Nassry's lawyer confirmed the sergeant escorted Jacobs' car and others down the road to Atlantic City, where the athlete and other drivers in the convoy planned to convene to talk about plans for charity work.
Jacobs, who knew Nassry from charity work, requested the escort to "to enhance public safety." Nassry's lawyer said Jacobs was worried about people trying to race the supercar fleet down the turnpike.
The 2012 "Death Race" apparently isn't the state's first. Following the probe, a similar 2010 incident surfaced, one in which police escorted several Ferraris at 193 km/h (120 mph) to a supercar rally, reports Jalopnik.
The investigation into both incidents is ongoing.
(Bloomberg and Jalopnik)
