A recent test drive ended in the worst possible way. A woman from Odessa, Texas, died in an accident, struck by a Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack during a test drive. The woman’s car was violently hit by the Challenger while traveling at high speed (193 km/h), causing her to be thrown from the vehicle. The woman died instantly.
A man driving a Dodge Challenger on a test drive kills a 47-year-old woman
The accident occurred last June when salesman Kenneth Salas accompanied Benjamin Meece, 37, on a test drive in a 2021 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack. The Dodge’s black box indicates that the muscle car reached a top speed of 200 km/h during the test drive and had the accelerator pressed 100 percent at the moment of impact with the 47-year-old woman’s Honda Accord.
The accident happened at the intersection of East University Drive and Oakwood Drive. The woman’s daughter, Natasha, learned of the accident because she was going to get a coffee when, passing by the accident site, she saw her mother’s car and the woman lying on the sidewalk.
Immediately after the accident, Meece, who was driving the Challenger, attempted to flee the crime scene. Police apprehended the man while he was hiding in a nearby yard, and he is now charged with four felonies, including manslaughter and aggravated assault. The man had previously been arrested 25 times for crimes such as vehicle theft, theft, and forgery.
The dealership salesman, Kenneth Salas, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, but the woman’s children stated that the man should not have allowed Meece to drive the car at such high speeds. Moreover, it seems this wasn’t the first time the salesman had allowed potential customers to drive cars at high speeds, as evidenced by some videos posted on social media.
Attorney Ryan Zehl, representing the family of the woman who died in the accident, stated, “Benjamin Meece had no right to get behind the wheel in the first place. Furthermore, his recklessness and negligence were made possible by a man who was trying to close a sale. Nothing will bring the children’s mother back, but we want to make sure that Mr. Meece, Mr. Salas, and the dealership are held accountable for what happened.”
Indeed, Quma Carrillo‘s three children have filed a wrongful death lawsuit not only against the driver but also against the salesman and the All American Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership in Odessa, Texas.