In
New Zealand, a rally sprint crash killed a teen driver and his co-driver.
Teenager
Brooklyn Horan and 35-year-old Tyson Jemmett were the two people who tragically
died.
When
Horan and Jemmet’s car crashed into a river at the Arcadia Road Rallysprint in
Paparoa, they were racing.
According
to a police investigator, the car went off the gravel road and into a flooded
river.
First
responders pronounced both of them dead at the scene.
MotorSport
New Zealand made it official that Horan was behind the wheel of the car when it
crashed.
New
Zealanders can’t get a driver’s license until they are 16 years old, but
younger drivers can compete in some situations.
MotorSport
New Zealand’s website says that the junior driver program “means that people
aged 12 to 16 can get a competition license.”
MotorSport
says that young drivers often take part in these kinds of competitions.
The
organization has said, though, that it will be doing a full investigation.
“The
event took place on Arcadia Road in Paparoa which was closed to the public for
the duration of the event under the authority of the local Road Controlling
Authority,” a statement from MotorSport said.
“It
is too early in the investigation to comment on what the main contributing
factors to the crash were, however, it does not seem as though the road was in
a detrimental or unsafe condition.”
“Our
thoughts are with the families and friends of these two competitors and
everyone involved with the Arcadia Road Rallysprint,” said Wayne Christie,
president of Motorsport New Zealand.
“This
terrible tragedy will, without a doubt, shock and upset everyone in the
motorsports world.”
“We
will be offering support to all those involved in the coming days.”
A
lot of people have been paying tribute to the two on social media.
After
hearing about the two-fatality crash, Hyden Paddon, winner of the World Rally
Championship, went on X to say how sorry he is.
He
said, “What a sad event yesterday! Two great people were taken too soon.”
“Tyson
was a huge rally fan and family man, and Brooklyn Horan was one of the most
exciting young rally stars who was going to make it big.”
“Your
career may have only just been starting but you had already left your mark.”
Winger
Motorsport wrote: “On behalf of the team at Winger Motorsport, we send our
condolences to the friends and family of Brooklyn Horan and his co-driver
Tyson.”
(1Eighty
Racing) added, “Such a natural talent! Your family is in our thoughts and you
will be missed on the track.
While
Hodgson Motorsport wrote, “It was with a heavy heart that we heard the breaking
news that Brooklyn died while doing the very thing our families loved
together.”
“It’s
times like these that you remember that the sport we chose comes with the
highest of highs and the lowest of lows.”
“Brooklyn
you were an amazing kind loving happy kid and that hadn’t changed years later
when we crossed paths again back at off-roading last year, the cheeky smile was
still the same, you had just grown a weeee bit taller.”
His
wife, Lucy, is pregnant with their first child and will miss him very much.
Some
of his old coworkers have started a fundraiser to help his wife and unborn
child.
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