WOW!!!! From Pink Bike
A peaceful critical mass ride in the city of Porto Alegre, in south eastern Brazil on Friday evening turned into something much nastier when a motorist accelerated through a group of 130 riders, hitting 20 of them and putting 9 in hospital.
Video here:
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/critical-mass-brasil-2011.html
The film of the incident shows a relaxed and peaceful Critical Mass ride suddenly turn into something much more sinister and frightening when a black VW Golf, which according to some witnesses had been following the ride for some time, suddenly accelerates through the middle of the group of over 100 riders with predictably horrible results.
Although police found the badly damaged car on Friday night they have not yet been able to locate its driver thought to be the 47-year old owner of the vehicle, Ricardo José Neis. While local cyclists have called for the driver to be charged with attempted murder, according to Porto Alegre's Police Chief, Gilberto Montenegro it is not yet possible to say if the driver intended to run over the cyclists, maybe he hasn't seen the videos. However, Chief Montenegro has said that If intent is proven the driver may well face a charge of attempted murder.
One cyclist who was on the ride Camilo Colling, told the Brazilian website Terra Brasil that he spoke to the driver just before the incident, asking him to be patient and stop behaving aggressively towards the riders in his path and warning him that there were children and older people taking part in the ride ahead. The driver allegedly replied "Yes, but I'm in a hurry" before ploughing his car in to the group of cyclists in front of him.
The authorities recovered the car shortly after the incident and identified its owner, but Neis has so far proved more elusive having reportedly gone into hiding. According to local reports a lawyer claiming to be acting for the driver has contacted police telling them that is client will surrender voluntarily on Monday there has been no indication as yet whether that man will prove to be Ricardo Neis.
What offense he will be charged with remains to be seen, but many of those who were the victims of his actions or who witnessed them will not it seems be satisfied with anything less than attempted murder a possibility that has not been ruled out.
Cecil
A peaceful critical mass ride in the city of Porto Alegre, in south eastern Brazil on Friday evening turned into something much nastier when a motorist accelerated through a group of 130 riders, hitting 20 of them and putting 9 in hospital.
Video here:
http://www.pinkbike.com/news/critical-mass-brasil-2011.html
The film of the incident shows a relaxed and peaceful Critical Mass ride suddenly turn into something much more sinister and frightening when a black VW Golf, which according to some witnesses had been following the ride for some time, suddenly accelerates through the middle of the group of over 100 riders with predictably horrible results.
Although police found the badly damaged car on Friday night they have not yet been able to locate its driver thought to be the 47-year old owner of the vehicle, Ricardo José Neis. While local cyclists have called for the driver to be charged with attempted murder, according to Porto Alegre's Police Chief, Gilberto Montenegro it is not yet possible to say if the driver intended to run over the cyclists, maybe he hasn't seen the videos. However, Chief Montenegro has said that If intent is proven the driver may well face a charge of attempted murder.
One cyclist who was on the ride Camilo Colling, told the Brazilian website Terra Brasil that he spoke to the driver just before the incident, asking him to be patient and stop behaving aggressively towards the riders in his path and warning him that there were children and older people taking part in the ride ahead. The driver allegedly replied "Yes, but I'm in a hurry" before ploughing his car in to the group of cyclists in front of him.
The authorities recovered the car shortly after the incident and identified its owner, but Neis has so far proved more elusive having reportedly gone into hiding. According to local reports a lawyer claiming to be acting for the driver has contacted police telling them that is client will surrender voluntarily on Monday there has been no indication as yet whether that man will prove to be Ricardo Neis.
What offense he will be charged with remains to be seen, but many of those who were the victims of his actions or who witnessed them will not it seems be satisfied with anything less than attempted murder a possibility that has not been ruled out.
Cecil
