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Death at high speed Police: Phills' crash occurred at over 100 mph
Posted: Wednesday January 19, 2000 06:36 PM
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Charlotte Hornets teammates Bobby Phills and David Wesley were racing at more than 100 mph when Phills lost control of his Porsche and was killed, a new police report says. Phills, traveling 107 mph, was behind Wesley, at 110 mph, when he spun out, crossed into oncoming traffic and collided with an Oldsmobile on Jan. 12, according to Monday's report from Charlotte-Mecklenburg County police. Police originally estimated the two players were racing at speeds more than 75 mph in the 45 mph zone. The latest report says both Phills and Wesley were driving "in an erratic, reckless, careless, negligent or aggressive manner," and that the two men were "involved in a speed competition" before the collision.
The speeds are estimates calculated using the length of tire marks, the amount of damage to the cars and other factors measured by investigators, police said. The report is just one element of an investigation that will be presented to the Mecklenburg District Attorney's office late this week or early next week. Prosecutors will decide what charges, if any, to file. Wesley, who was driving with a suspended license at the time of his teammate's wreck, has declined to comment. Playing their first home game since co-captain Phills' death, the Hornets defeated the Toronto Raptors 115-94 Monday night. Before the report was completed, the driver of the Oldsmobile, Rob Woolard, spoke publicly for the first time since the wreck near Charlotte Coliseum. He said it is not important to him if Wesley is criminally charged. "He [Wesley] didn't know that was going to happen," Woolard said.
Woolard is on crutches, and much of his body is bruised. Both of his knees are hurt, and one may require surgical repair and physical therapy.
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