Posted on 06/11/2002 7:17:03 AM PDT by aomagrat
A Sumter race car driver went on a rampage with his car shortly after the green flag dropped Saturday night at Sumter Speedway.
Once the race-turned-demolition-derby was over, Robert L. Disher, 31, of 4404 Wrangler Trail was arrested and charged with assault and battery with intent to kill.
When the race started, Disher immediately ran into the car of a rival racer, causing a multi-car tangle on the track, according to reports from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
Off-duty deputies working security at the track reported that Disher, clear of the wreck, then put his car in reverse and began intentionally ramming several cars.
With the race stopped, Disher drove around the track, turned around toward the already damaged cars and continued hitting vehicles for several minutes before coming to a stop, according to reports.
Authorities were able to pull Disher from his car after another racer pinned Disher’s vehicle to a wall. A report says as he was being escorted from the track, Disher “shook his butt at the crowd,” which resulted in both applause from the crowd and a charge of public disorderly conduct.
Disher was released Sunday from the Sumter County Correctional Center on a $1,125 bond. He could not be reached for comment.
Despite the number of wrecks, no one was seriously hurt in the incident, which apparently stemmed from a rivalry between Disher and another local racer, Adam Hill.
The two were involved in an wreck on the track the previous week, and Hill said because of it he has received threatening phone calls about the upcoming race all week.
The 29-year-old driver said he was expecting some contact from Disher on the track.
“I didn’t figure he’d ever do something like that,” Hill said, adding that his car was hit four or five times. “I figured he’d spin me out and be done with it.”
Hill said he began to take his seat belts off to get out of the car after being hit the first time, but quickly began putting them back on when he was hit again.
“Now that it happened, I’m going to press all the charges I can,” Hill said.
Hill’s father, Larry Hill, owns two cars that race at the speedway — Adam’s and his younger brother Randy’s.
The father said he had heard rumors throughout the week but that when he talked to Disher before the race the driver denied he planned any mischief.
“I don’t know what happened to him. He just went crazy last night,” Larry Hill said.
Adam Hill said he and his family plan to get the damaged car ready for next Saturday’s race to prove that he won’t be kept from competing.
Thanks for the ping.
Hardly. This guy's racing career is over. At least anyone who lets him on a track ever again ought to have his head examined.
The Insanity Test
http://www.people.cornell.edu/pages/slp29/insane.html
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