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http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,17760593-2,00.html

Stunt driver crash injures five

January 08, 2006

A FIVE-YEAR-OLD boy received head injuries and four other people were injured when a stunt driver crashed into the crowd at a packed car rally last night.
Organisers of the SummerNats rally in Canberra faced questions about safety when another accident occurred a short time later, trapping a second stunt driver after he lost control of his car.

The injured boy was standing against a metre-high chain-link fence during the Super Cruise event in the main arena at Canberra's SummerNats when the driver lost control about 8.40pm (AEDT).

He received a large cut to his head and was unconscious as he was carried from the crowd to an intensive-care ambulance.

He was taken to Canberra Hospital with two other people, a 30-year-old woman with a broken leg and a man with a minor injury to his right hand.

"It was shocking," one witness said.


The SummerNats organiser made an announcement to the 50,000-strong crowd shortly after the crash, claiming there had been no serious injuries.

"There are some people with bumps, bruises, cuts, and maybe some broken bones," Chic Henry told the rowdy crowd.

"It is very fortunate, and we can be very, very thankful. Let's wish these people well and hope they come back tomorrow."

There was confusion in the crowd after the crash. Many cheered, thinking it was part of the show.

But those near the accident were upset, with some saying it was no surprise there had been an accident.

"They were doing this thing where they were stunt driving, doing burnouts and sliding right up to the fence," one bystander said.

"We were saying: 'God, that looks really dangerous on a dirt, gravel track.'

"Then, after the crash, the ute tried to back out of the fence, but the more he tried to back out, the more bogged he became."

About an hour after the accident, a second crash occurred, trapping a stunt driver whose car had flipped over during a jump.

Firefighters, police, ambulance officers and ground marshals rushed to the scene of the accident.

The driver was trapped for almost an hour before being cut free from the wreck.

As ground announcers tried to calm the crowd by making jokes, thousands of people watched emergency services treat the driver and clear away the debris from the field.