Another Hertz ZHZ Bites the Dust

[Rob]

Men killed in fiery Downtown Connector crash identified

By MARCUS K. GARNER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Saturday, December 20, 2008

Related Video: VetteTube - Corvette Videos, Corvette Crashes, Corvette Burnouts, Corvette Racing

The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s office on Saturday identified two men killed in a fiery car crash on the Downtown Connector.

Jerick Atkinson, 29, of Hapeville, was at the wheel of the yellow Corvette that sped across six rain-slicked lanes of traffic and launched to an explosive wreck off an HOV exit ramp Thursday afternoon.

Hosea Williams, 43, of Atlanta was in the passenger seat.

The two men died from blunt force trauma and fire, an investigator from the Medical Examiner’s office said.

Investigators had to compare Atkinson’s dental records, obtained from his family, against his remains to positively identify the body, authorities said.

The Corvette was being chased at high speeds by Georgia State Patrol officers who had tried to pull them over about 2 p.m. Thursday on westbound I-20 east of downtown Atlanta, police said.

A state trooper spotted the Corvette driving wildly and weaving through traffic in wet and rainy weather, police said. The pursuit ended about 10 minutes later when the sports car hurtled off a ramp from the Connector to Piedmont Road.

 

[Patrick]

Hmm. Driving "wildly and weaving through traffic in wet and rainy weather," the 29 year old driver "sped across six rain-slicked lanes of traffic and launched to an explosive wreck off an HOV exit ramp Thursday afternoon," after attempting to outrun police in a rented Corvette.

I'm sensing the other shoe has yet to drop. You don't do something like that unless you've got a strong motivation not to get pulled over. A criminal motivation?

I'd be curious to find out what the stats are on wrecks involving Hertz's ZHZ Corvette rentals as a percentage of wrecks/accidents involving other cars in Hertz's fleet.

 

[catbert]

"Drive it like you stole it" is pretty much how the Hertz rent a Vettes are usually treated. Nothing would surprise me.

 

[killain]

The perfect storm of too much Horsepower, No brains, No skill, add water and mix. One disaster looking for a landing spot ! And it's Christmas too ! May God have mercy on them this holiday .

 

[WhalePirot]

How long until Hertz gets sued for renting to these fools, either by the fools themselves or another?