FHP: BMW traveling at least 120 mph before crash at airport

BY FRED HIERS
Star-Banner

OCALA - The high-performance BMW carrying five young men toward their deaths on Jan. 26 was roaring down Greystone Airport at a speed of at least 120 mph when it left the end of the runway, sailed 200 feet through the air and slammed into a fence and three trees.

That was the conclusion listed in a Florida Highway Patrol report released Monday about the single-vehicle crash.

FHP spokesman Lt. Mike Burroughs said the investigation continues. His agency is interviewing dozens of people who potentially have information about the crash.

Authorities say Joshua D. Ammirato, 18, was driving the BMW M5 down the 1.5 mile-long airstrip, which is inside Jumbolair Aviation Estates in Anthony.

Burroughs said 120 mph was the minimum speed the car was traveling before the driver hit the brakes. He braked for 2 to 3 seconds and the car veered sideways.

The vehicle rotated clockwise as it left the end of the paved runway, overturned and went airborne.

It sailed over an 85-foot dip toward trees 200 feet away.

The car first struck a wire fence and tree, according to the report. The right side then struck a second tree, shearing the vehicle in two. Then the rear section struck a third tree. The driver and all four passengers were ejected, according to the report.

The vehicle's pieces and passengers all came to rest in a vacant lot in the 1400 block of Northeast 95th Street.

Meanwhile, the Star-Banner has learned that the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco has joined the investigation.

"The Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco was asked by FHP to aid in their investigation," said the agency's spokeswoman, Alexis Antonacci.

She said she could not comment further, because of the ongoing investigation.

The agency's job is to regulate those who produce or sell alcohol or tobacco and assist law enforcement agencies whose investigations involve either of those products.

Antonacci said the division, which is part of the Florida Department of Professional and Business Regulations, has in the past assisted other law enforcement agencies with auto crashes that involved alcohol.

Burroughs said FHP still awaits a toxicology report, which will indicate whether the driver had been drinking. Any information the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco agency finds would be used to "bolster" that toxicology report.

"Since this crash involved a driver and passengers all under 21 years old, which is the legal age to consume alcoholic beverages, rumors (about alcohol consumption) must be filtered appropriately," Burroughs said.

"We are taking a proactive approach and applying sound investigative techniques should toxicology reports indicate that alcohol consumption by minors might have contributed to the accident," he said. "If our investigation revealed that alcohol was obtained by minors, we would request that Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco assist us."

Previously, Burroughs said that only the remains of the driver would be tested for alcohol. Now he says testing could also include the passengers: Jacob James Casey, 19; James Devon Hime, 19; Dustin J. Dawe, 19; and Isaac Rubin, 20.

The $85,000 car belonged to Ammirato's father, Santo.

The report indicated that Joshua Ammirato and the front passenger, Hime, were wearing seatbelts. The other three were in the rear seat and were not wearing seatbelts.

The report also said there was only one car involved in the wreck. There have been rumors of other cars at the scene at the time of the crash.

"We have solid evidence that indicates there was only one car involved," Burroughs said, although he would not discuss the nature of that evidence.

Burroughs declined to comment on rumors that there is a pre-crash videotape of the car on the Greystone runway.

Meanwhile, James Hime, father of passenger James Devon Hime, said the specifics of the crash no longer concerned him.

Hime, 54, of Orlando, said his only concern now was that the crash might convince other young drivers to not drive dangerously.

"Stay close to your children and know where they are," he said. "My greatest goal now is to reach these other children."

Hime is now represented by two Orlando lawyers who specialize in wrongful death cases, including auto accidents.

"I don't so much blame the child (Joshua Ammirato) as the parent," Hime said.

The crash report was not released to the public last week, although it was completed. Burroughs said FHP officials first wanted to give it to the parents of the crash victims and discuss the document with them.

But Hime said he didn't have much use for the crash report now.

"I don't have nay questions about that," he said. "It's just statistics."

Fred Hiers can be released at fred.hiers@starbanner.com and 352-867-4157.




Joshua Ammirato (18)

Jacob Casey (19)

Justin Dawe (19)

James Hime (19)

Isaac Rubin (20)

 

Here's a pic of the runway to get a better orientation to go along w/ the diagram.
Actual picture is rotated as to the direction the BMW was traveling.

 

So sad

 

It is a shame but thank God they didn't hit an innocent person just trying to get from point A to point B.


Physics caught up with these guys real quick



Goose

 

Related story..........The driver of the 3 week old BMW said he would never endanger the lives of others.

http://www.ocala.com/article/2008012...2577/1025/NEWS

 

JX3, thats the same story.... this investigation has been going on now for 2 weeks?

 

Tragedy?....more like stupidity. I mean c'mon people lets get real. Premeditated and all. If its found that he was under the influence as well he deserves what he got. seriously, and this comes from someone who was stupid enough to drink, drive, and get a DWI as well.

 

i don't wanna sound like a D**k but im with QUEST on this one. i mean if your gonna think about doing sumthing stupid, don't be suprised if sumthing stupid is the outcome. "lets go rob a store" "yea lets go for it" dooopdi doooo laaa laaaa la "what's this?! a gun in my face" how many times has anyone gotten plasterd. i mean to the point where you know you just cant drive home and we do it anyway. lucky for alot of us (including me) we get home ok. but for those that dont make it home, or for others that are just passer by s. then in this situation it's like..."hhmmm...lets try out this baby and see how fast it can go, whaddya says guys?" "but lets do it in a safe place so we don't crash with someone or get a speeding ticket"

 

I'll make it x3.

But we all have done stupid stuff....and lived to brag/talk about it. Ceasing to do things like the kids in this article is called maturity/growing up.

 

yes we have, now im only 26, still young in the game so to speak, but well full of experience. and that my friend is learning. just be greatfull that for us that have lived to brag/talk about it..you know that someone was watching over us!