* * TRAVIS PESTANNA INJURED in CORVETTE CRASH * *

By ERIC COLLINS, Staff Writer

A local daredevil known worldwide for his breathtaking motorcycle stunts was seriously injured early this morning when his Corvette crashed into a tree in Davidsonville.

Travis Alan Pastrana, 19, of Davidsonville was flown by helicopter to the Prince George's Hospital Center Trauma Unit, where he was in serious but stable condition, county police said.

His passenger, Matthew Scott Bigos, 20, of Merritt Island, Fla., suffered a possible spinal injury and was taken to the Shock-Trauma Center at University Hospital in Baltimore, where he was also listed in serious but stable condition, police said.

According to police, Mr. Pastrana was driving a black 2003 Chevrolet Corvette on Rossback Road about 12:30 a.m. when the vehicle went airborne after cresting a rise in the road near Overlook Glen.

When it came down, the Corvette ran off the right side of the road, police said. Mr. Pastrana apparently then steered sharply to the left, causing the Corvette to spin while crossing the road.

The Corvette then went onto a steep embankment and struck a large oak tree. The force of the collision flipped the Corvette, threw Mr. Pastrana from the vehicle and blew apart the engine, police said. The car landed upside down in the middle of Rossback Road, about 300 feet from where the driver lost control.

Police were unsure how fast Mr. Pastrana was driving at the time of the crash.

"It hit so hard that the motor was thrown out of it," said Lt. Keith Williams, commander of the Traffic Safety Section. "You can't even tell what kind of car it is. It is just completely destroyed."

Mr. Bigos was rescued by county firefighters after the crash, police said.

Police were still investigating the crash this morning. It was unclear where the pair were headed. Police didn't believe alcohol contributed to the crash.

Mr. Pastrana's family couldn't be reached for comment.

The motocross champion is no stranger to injury. Since he first got a motorcycle at age 4, the man has suffered 20-some broken bones, undergone numerous surgeries and given his parents, Robert and Debbie, plenty to worry about.

His father reportedly thought he died after watching one particularly high-flying stunt go wrong in Arizona in 1998. The teen lost consciousness after landing and his spine separated from his pelvic bone, forcing him into a wheelchair for more than a month after the incident.

Mr. Pastrana has been taking a break this spring to recuperate from the wear and tear on his body.

In a recent letter to his fans printed online in MotoCross Action, Mr. Pastrana said his knee is very painful. He said normal competition now leaves him barely able to walk for the following 24 hours.

"Well, the plan for this summer is still up in the air. I want to race anything and everything in an attempt to open some doors for myself in sports that require skill but less pounding on my body," he wrote.

Mr. Pastrana gained national attention at the 1999 X-Games in San Francisco after riding his bike off a pier into the San Francisco Bay to celebrate his win in a freestyle competition.

Once dubbed "the ultimate showman," Mr. Pastrana has a vast fan following, his own action figure, a DVD of highlights, a Bobble Head doll and has appeared on everything from "The Tonight Show" to "Real TV

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[crochico]

nothing hits me harder then when i hear news like this.. hopefully he and his friend recover fully.. someone my sister knew died along with his family in a car accident a couple of weeks ago.. i didn't even know him, but hearing that is really upsetting

[666fast]

It is sad to hear stuff like this, but to make a car catch enough air to really upset it's handling like that, he had to be going damn fast. Sad, but he brought it upon himself. It really sucks that his friend was also hurt.

[maalox]

Originally Posted by 666fast It is sad to hear stuff like this, but to make a car catch enough air to really upset it's handling like that, he had to be going damn fast. Sad, but he brought it upon himself. It really sucks that his friend was also hurt.

Yeah that's how I see it too. Pretty irresponsible if you ask me. It's one thing to drive quickly by yourself in a deserted area, but another thing when you have a passenger and are in a populated area. Some people don't seem to get that other people exist.

Especially Travis..... He should know better... Fuck, really blows too, he was taking a break to heal up better and he fucks up.... :cry:

[novass]

the article said it hit so hard the engine came out. i know the vette is glass but he must have been haulin ass. still sucks tho.

Vettes may be glass but there sitting on a steel frame thats as strong as a 1 ton truck due to the weakness of fiberglass, so you know they were flyin.... I'd guess close to 150... I worked for a Insuranjce company dealing with totaled vehicles and saw many bad ones a celica hit a tree at 130 tore itself in 3 pieces... sheared off right at the window pillar the drunk kids didnt get a scratch. I found the engine 300 feet down the road!!

Judging from the details I'd guess he was travilin..... Hope he comes out ok, I love watchin him ride!

[novass]

yea he is a great rider. i hope he is okay too.

300 ft down you found the engine! jesus! i bet thats the fastest that motor has ever gone LMAO makes me want to put full cages in all the cars i drive and ride in

Yep, Trees are nasty things to hit.. Sometimes tho your safer without all that steek. Keep in mind the crush zone in crash test cars,they serve a critical function absorbing leathal energe your body isnt capable to take....

I can say from experience the difference is startling, I hit the wall in my sprint car so hard it knocked my ass out cold !!! Yet a similar crash but in a montecarlo I was driving in a figure 8 race was much less brutal even though the car looked like I should have died. :shock: