TapouT's Charles "Mask" Lewis Reportedly Dies in Car Accident; Driver Arrested
(Photo courtesy of thespec.com)
We really hope this isn't true, but the chatter is not good. By now it's been confirmed. From RingleaderFightNews:
Newport Beach CA — Fox News 11 L.A. reported that a red Ferrari split in half as it slammed into a light pole in Newport Beach today, killing the driver and injuring a passenger. The accident on southbound Jamboree Road near Camelback Street occurred just before 1 a.m., according to a Newport Beach Police Department lieutenant...
The impact of the crash broke the car in half and left the front portion of the high-performance Italian sports car crushed by the light pole. "It apparently was traveling at a high rate of speed, and it left the roadway, hit the curb, took out a light pole, and ... someone is deceased in the vehicle and we don't know who that person is at this particular time," Newport Beach police Lt. Steven Shulman told ABC7 at the crash site.
An unnamed source has told Ringleadfightnews.com that the deceased driver was TapouT Crew member and part owner of the multi-million dollar company, “Mask.” The information could not be verified and is still speculation at this point.
Police Lt. Steven Shulman told Fox News 11, "the coroner will identify that person, notify the family, and hopefully the passenger that we believe was in the vehicle will survive the injuries and we will find out a little bit more at that point."
A second victim was taken to a hospital following the accident, a Newport Beach Fire Department dispatch supervisor said. Her condition was not immediately reported. The injured victim was a female passenger who was ejected in the crash, On Scene reported.
MyFoxLA adds the following details:
Police say the bright red Ferrari Modena was traveling at high speed next to a Porsche when it apparently hit that car, then struck a curb and knocked over a light pole shortly before 1 a.m. Wednesday.
The crash tore the $300,000 car in half. The driver died at the scene and his name has not been released. A woman passenger thrown from the car has been hospitalized but there's no word on her condition.
Police have arrested the Porsche's driver, 51-year-old Jeffrey Kirby of Costa Mesa, for investigation of gross vehicular manslaughter, and his woman passenger for investigation of public intoxication. His phone number in Costa Mesa is unlisted.
We've made fun of Mask and the rest of the TapouT crew in the past, mainly because their loud/arrogant/"inyaface" schtick kind of represents everything we hate about meathead MMA fans. Yet TapouT has worked harder than any other company to sustain up-and-coming fighters through sponsorships; without Charles Lewis and his equally colorful business partners, countless fighters would have succumbed to the economic hardships of trying to make it as a mixed martial artist.
To borrow one of their phrases — this is incredibly Bad for the Sport. More details to come.
Tags: car accident, Charles Lewis, death, Mask, MMA, tapout
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Comments
Kadumel Says:
Ben this was just confirmed on the UG
Kadumel Says:
Crooklyn
Member Since: 8/11/07
Posts: 27525
TapouT Radio, DIESEL
It is confirmed. It was Charles. People, please refrain from fucked up shit. I will make sure personlly to see your ass off this board.
Anonymous Says:
SECOND... Does this mean anything..
ben Says:
Word is the female passenger was his fiance. Fucking awful...
Anonymous Says:
wow, RIP.
Anonymous Says:
this is sad... man he must have been going fast to split that car in half.
Uncle Sams Misguided Child (USMC) Says:
Horrible news I enjoyed watching Tapout's reality show and always said how bad ass it would be to hang out with those guys someday. They had a comrodire that was equall only to our service men and women. My thoughts and prayers go out to Charles and his family as well as the Tapout crew.
C Nitty Says:
terrible
Anonymous Says:
The really big questoin here that I know everyone is DIE'ing (hmm is that pun) to know is: Did he at least win the drag race??
Nanotyranus Says:
Tragic news, very sad indeed. My thoughts are with his family and hopes are with his girl. They were a loud rowdy bunch, but that is kinda why they made it.
All my best in tragic times.
Contraband Says:
I hope this isnt true and it's just a miss understanding
Anonymous Says:
My question is who the HELL wrote that news article? Whatever journalism school they "graduated" from should have their credentials revoked. I have seen small town newspaper with clearer writing.
rokabee Says:
ah damn, thats sad, he actually did alot for mma. RIP hope his fiance is ok.
Anonymous Says:
While granted death at such an early age is very tragic, And especially to a person who has worked so hard and helped so many in his endeavors, Really Kadumel you think threatening on MMA message board will deter any "fucked up shit" personally I wouldn't Insult Mask, I would insult you who are you his fairy god mother? are you gonna be on every message board on every website when anyone in this world dies? LMAO WTF where were you when Evan passed? Or any of the other 100s of people before this You my friend are a fucking idiot!
Smooth bodied Asian Says:
Shit happens
lilpo0ts Says:
with the gross vehicular manslaughter, are they trying to say that the porsche bumped him?
Anonymous Says:
These articles make no sense...
The second states that the driver was arrested, but also died at the scene.
So was mask the driver and died and the passenger is in the hosptial?
Zach Mac Says:
i talked shit on the tapout guys for dressing up all gay and stuff but this still sucks
mayhem420 Says:
Wow.... R.I.P Mask..... TapOut wont be the same with out you!!!
VegasMMAfan Says:
This is so horrible...RIP Charles. Our prayers are with you and your family.
Contraband Says:
RIP Mask
CP should delete some comments
portzportsky Says:
a shame, while many did not agree with their style, you cannot deny that worked hard to help MMA get to where it is today.
Condolences to his family and my prayers for his fiance.
Nate Says:
^^^^ your are retarded anonymous. Kadumel just cut and pasted "Crooklyn's" post on the UG.
Derekrva Says:
Dear Lord what awful news.
May flights of face painted angels sing thee to thy rest.
innappropriate Says:
He should be easy to identify with those large birthmarks on his face. Too soon??
Kadumel Says:
Thanks Nate at least someone realized that
UFCinCalgary Says:
Rubbing is racing..... Everyone knows that!
Damian Says:
Wow, I feel like an asshole for all the shit I talked about the guy now, rip and I hope the passenger makes a speedy recovery.
Kyle B Says:
Don't be a dumbass Anonymous at 11:29. He clearly copy/pasted that from the UG. You, my friend, are the fucking idiot.
I always liked the TapouT show because it showed the behind the scenes action of all the fighters which I think is pretty interesting. Mask, and that company has done a lot for the sport, and their "inyaface" mentality actually had a lot of success for their product. Sucks this happened.
Crackgibson Says:
Anonymous, Kadumel didn't threaten anyone; he pasted a post from Tapout Radio. Pull your head out of your ass.
Aaronymous Says:
kadumel was posting what Crooklyn said on the UG. Apparently Crooklyn has close ties to Tapout so I could see him not wanting to see a bunch of heinous posts.
RIP Charles Lewis
Darwin Says:
Tapout did a shit load for promoting up and coming fighters, I just saw Cowboy (replay) on WEC/Versus last night.
Sure their company was inyaface, but they redistributed tons of the money they earned right back into the sport ...
fuck :/
not to mention, their show on Vs was entertaining to watch, and really gave insight to the ignorant on just how hard amateur fighters train / what all does it take to get to where they want to be.
RIP :/
lilpo0ts Says:
the driver of the porsche was arrested...(to answer whoever thought they arrested a corpse)
rubbing isnt racing with lanes, maybe in a steve mcqueen backwood light'em up, but you dont "rub" 300k cars. but then again you dont race with invalubles shotgun.
hope shes alright
RIP charles lewis
War Says:
They arrested the owner of the Porsche that was racing him. The driver of the Ferrari (Mask) died and his female passenger was ejected and critically injured. They arrested the driver of the Porsche for gross vehicular manslaughter, probably not for bumping the Ferrari but partaking in a street race that ended up in someone dying. Therefore, the driver of the Porsche is legally responsible. Hope that clears stuff up!
Death Says:
Punkass better not go bathtubbin' with his radio anymore.
SiDeBuRnZ Says:
Gosh what a sad way to have your life end.
Meohfumado Says:
Very sad. This is why you keep your speedometer down folks, even when you have a vehicle capable of more.
BIG C Says:
Im sorry but whats the UG
Anonymous Says:
RIP mask ,you were a great personality
Kadumel Says:
If they were indeed racing, and someone dies as Mask did, the other person can be charged with vehicular manslaughter still *i believe*
WAR BONG Says:
bad deal man...bad effin deal.
Peace Charles Lewis...Rest in it brother.
Than Says:
Wow this is terrible news for his family and friends. I think he built the company up enough to have a long legacy...I just hope they keep up the fighter sponsorship, I know Mask was a huge part of that.
Anonymous Says:
tap out are a bunch of douches, im sure we was drugged up and killed an inocite, doesnt make him a good man, sorry for the loss but dont feel bad for people driving under the influance
Ample Says:
Damn that is pretty unfortunate. That area is like 10 minutes away from me, fucking crazy.
Assholes speed down that part of jamboree like its the autobahn. Hope this wakes up a couple rich newport douche bags to keep their luxary sports cars down to a decen speed....assholes.
rokabee Says:
Ok, to clear it up, they are saying there is another car in the picture, a white porsche, they arrested that guy for vehicular manslaughter because he was intoxicated. They are saying that the seen is consistent with the porsche and the ferarri hitting eachother.
Fedor a million ankles Says:
:(
Goog Says:
Yeah... it's sad news regardless of his notoriety. It's sad when anyone pointlessly and unnecessarily dies in a situation like that. But as friend of someone who lost his fiance as a result of someone else' s similar stupid behavior, I'm glad it was a pole he hit and not another innocent car full of kids, parents, etc.
As stated above... just because you can doesn't mean you should.
rokabee Says:
Anon, he wasnt the one under the influence u douche, the guy in the porsche was..
Ballsack Says:
Hopefully he wasnt dressed up like a dipshit when he died.
rip
Franko Says:
Did he survive?