Feds to Review Off-Road Wreck that Killed 8 Fans

The federal Bureau of Land Management is conducting an official review of a weekend accident at an off-road race in the California desert that killed eight spectators.

Spokeswoman Jan Bedrosian said in a statement Monday that the agency is also cooperating with other law enforcement agencies in the investigation and reviewing all off-road vehicle events in the California desert for safety.

Eight fans were killed Saturday at the California 200 race in the Mojave Desert when a truck went out of control after a jump and hit a crowd lining the course. Other fans were injured.

Race promoter Mojave Desert Racing had a BLM permit for the event, which has raised questions about oversight and safety at the races on federal land.

California Highway Patrol Officer Joaquin Zubieta said Brett M. Sloppy, 28, of San Marcos, was behind the wheel of the truck involved in the crash. Zubieta said alcohol was not a factor in the crash and there were no plans to arrest Sloppy, who the CHP estimates was going 45 to 50 mph at the time of the crash.