Monster truck accident in Mexico kills eight, injures dozens

Eight people are dead following a tragic accident at the «Extreme Aeroshow» event in Chihuahua,
Mexico this weekend. In a
monster truck demonstration gone terribly wrong, a vehicle accelerated into a crowd of spectators after a jump over two cars, injuring a reported 79 people in addition to the fatalities. Chihuahua Mayor, Marco Quezada, said that a dozen of the injured were in intensive care as of Sunday evening, with four in critical condition.

NBC News is reporting that the driver of the
truck has been detained Sunday on suspicion of manslaughter. Initial reports indicate a number of potential reasons for the driver of the Big Show
monster truck’s aberrant action. Witnesses to the scene report that the driver hit his head on the top of the cabin as he jumped over two crushed cars, with at least two claiming that his helmet came off mid-stunt.

Further, Chihuahua Governor Cesar Duarte Juarez, whose administration was listed as a sponsor of the show, is reportedly pursuing an investigation as to the enforcement of safety regulations. The governor reportedly said that a test had detected alcohol on the driver’s breath, though specifics as to blood alcohol level have not yet been reported, if known. Investigators are also looking in to any possible mechanical failure (perhaps a stuck throttle) that may have caused a loss of control as the truck driver was headed towards the crowd of people.

Video of the shocking incident was captured by spectators at the show, and has been used in news reports from the
Associated Press and
NBC.