Gumball accident in Macedonia
By Des on May 3, 2007 in Gumball 2007, Gumball 3000, Gumball 3000 News, Gumballers
A white Porsche crashed in Macedonia, near the city of Struga close to the Albanian border.
Update: Locals got injured in the crash, we hope they are ok.
Update 2: Driver of the Volkswagen Golf died on the way to the hospital, his wife is at the intensive care in critical condition, with broken ribs and fluid in her lungs. 24 hours after the incident still no statement from Gumball 3000.
Update 3: Margarita, passenger of the Golf and wife of Vladimir, died in the hospital today, 10 minutes before her husbands funeral. We are very sad that she passed away from the severe injuries she suffered from the crash two days ago.
Note: GTspirit has no affiliation with Gumball 3000. We regret what happened and our thoughts go out to Marga & Vladimir and their families.
Loading ...
irgh bad news, hope they are okay
kennz | May 2nd, 2007 18:50 | Reply
bad news. local citizens are injured and they are now in hospital with bad fractures.
bad day.
Slave | May 2nd, 2007 19:03 | Reply
To all Gumballers: BE CAREFULL ON MONTENEGRO MOUNTAINS!!!
Katarina | May 2nd, 2007 20:16 | Reply
I don’t hope it is one of the Martini Porsches… I love the look of them!
Franqie | May 2nd, 2007 21:02 | Reply
fuck you all gumballers… my citizen died few hours ago… porse crashed directly in his car… the other citizen is very bad injured… driver tried to escape but he get caught near the border…
miksi | May 2nd, 2007 22:20 | Reply
They crashed near the Albanian border, but were still in Macedonia. Just heard on the news: One dead (passed away while he was transported to the hospital), one badly injured (think she was his wife). What is unfortunate about this incident is that they fled the crash scene…a BMW (don’t know what team) picked them up, but the driver & the co-driver of the Porsche were arrested on the border crossing. Somehow i don’t think this is the real Gumball spirit..Hitting someone and then running away like a coward…Makes me sick. Anyway, i think they’ll be late (10-15 years) for that presidential dinner in Tirana.
Zarko, Macedonia | May 2nd, 2007 22:58 | Reply
The cars involved were: a white Porsche 911 turbo Techart, no. 74…license plate number -rsl 3- & a VW Golf.
Zarko, Macedonia | May 2nd, 2007 23:10 | Reply
one man is dead from the crash in macedona
hristijan | May 2nd, 2007 23:40 | Reply
Crash happened in Macedonia, not in Albania
One man is dead and his wife is fighting for it’s life. The porshe crashed in a Wolzvagen golf with a speed of 200. Drivers are aressted on the border when they try to escape from a spot of the accident.
citizen | May 3rd, 2007 07:41 | Reply
One of the injured has passed away yesterday on the way to hospital. By the way the accident hapened on the exit of Macedonia.
Pavleski Ilija | May 3rd, 2007 10:04 | Reply
Shame on you! First, people were seriosly injured and fighting for their lives and you comment that your thoughts are with them? How? I would really like to know! By leaving the place of the exident, by running from the spot like cowards?!!!! Changing cars, running to the boarder leaving injured people to die? Bastards! Cowards! Where is your dignity?
And just as information, the accident happened in Struga, that is in Republic Of Macedonia, better to check your sources and maybe check the map, it would be nice, for you there, little geography and knowledge, just to see how ignorant you all are.
Deni | May 3rd, 2007 11:09 | Reply
Do you know where are you driving??? The accident with injured local citizens was not in Albania. It was in MACEDONIA. VLADIMIR CIBUNOVSKI is the name of man who died yesterday.I agree with Katarina. PLEASE BE CAREFUL, IT IS VERY DANGEROUS.
Slave | May 3rd, 2007 11:18 | Reply
For your information, a correct one!
1. Accident happened in the City of Struga, Republic of Macedonia.
2. Some Gumball Porche driver in a car accident HAS KILLED Mr. Vladimir Cepunjoski and also his wife Mrs. Marga Cepunjoska is in critical condition.
I have the privilege to know those people more then 20 years. Just the day before the accident I was their guest.
They did not deserve something like this to happen to them. Some “skilled” driver to reach for their lives.
Be aware of this situation!!!
Vladimir has been killed because of somebody’s stupid decision not to respect the speed limit and the conditions on the local road.
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE !!!
BlazE VeruS | May 3rd, 2007 11:25 | Reply
The accident was in Macedonia not in Albania…and one of the injured persons has died..
Zlatko | May 3rd, 2007 12:20 | Reply
Update - one of the locals passed away and the Porche drivers are questione by the police. I do not know where do you got the info abot them being eskorted to presidential dinner in Tirana…and the Title of this article is wrong…the accident is in Macedonia
Todor | May 3rd, 2007 13:12 | Reply
The accident actually happened in Macedonia, not in Albania.
Efto | May 3rd, 2007 13:54 | Reply
Hi!
I`m from Macedonia,and would like to comment this tragedy.One of the locals that was hit is now deceised while his wife is badly injured.
The two guys from the porche tried to escape,but were caught at the border crossing and arrested.Probably got a jolly good beating at the police station,beacuse they didn`t only went over 200 km/h in a 60 km/h zone (confirmes by witnesses) but killed 1 man, and heavily injured his wife.
Today they are due to appear before court where they can face a prison sentence of up to 8 years.
They deserved it!
Deni | May 3rd, 2007 14:11 | Reply
A man has died and his wife is in a bad condition.A porsche pilot and a co-pilot tried to escape with a BMW but he is stoped in Albanian border.They are in custody.Bad day for Gumballers and for the man who died.
Tony | May 3rd, 2007 14:22 | Reply
Word goes out one of them died. Other critical, also dreamteam tryed to get away in bmw. This is the news on the net now. Any updates from your side?
Diago | May 3rd, 2007 14:52 | Reply
bad news…according to a few sources, one of the passengers of the Golf has passed away, his wife and co driver at time is in critical shape at the hospital…THe drivers of the Porsche 997 are appearing in court as we speak…
g3k | May 3rd, 2007 14:55 | Reply
One of them is death. And woman’s situation is very critical.She is on intensive care. :(
Jas | May 3rd, 2007 15:19 | Reply
Bad news from Macedonia.
One person is dead, and his wife is in critical situation after last night crash in Struga.
hope | May 3rd, 2007 15:38 | Reply
i saw some footage of the crash on a tv station. the porsche looked good but the other car (looked like a golf 2) was in worst condition. it is a wonder if anyone has survived.
dj bobo | May 3rd, 2007 16:03 | Reply
this cant be good for gumball, after the statement they made about the german media, this happens!
TommmyAMG | May 3rd, 2007 16:41 | Reply
Damn :( It’s a sad day
Franqie | May 3rd, 2007 16:43 | Reply
There’s a person killed thanks to posibble careless driving of a gumball participant and all you care for is the look of the car?
Nice going.
Wover | May 3rd, 2007 16:47 | Reply
that’s really hard.
i wish them all the best.
Jess | May 3rd, 2007 16:52 | Reply
Thats really bad, i think the rally should be stopped. Its unacceptable that people (who cant control their cars properly) speeding because they are in foreign countries should get away with it. And now killing someone this should be a warning to everyone to respect their cars and the roads they drive them on.
This is a dark day for everyone.
AdamTL | May 3rd, 2007 16:53 | Reply
really bad news :(
btw, it was The Dream Team (#74)
Cemre A. | May 3rd, 2007 17:01 | Reply
Franqie you are insane!
Someone died because of too much pushing of the Gumballers and you worry about the car… no comment!
GUmballers remember IT´S a Rally - NOT a RACE !
Sven | May 3rd, 2007 17:12 | Reply
it is the white martini porsche with techart look, this are really sad news.
bjoern | May 3rd, 2007 17:12 | Reply
The end of gumball ?
John | May 3rd, 2007 17:15 | Reply
Oh that are really bad news :-(… especially the news with the Golf R32.
All my commiserations go to the injured people and their dependents.
Let us hope, that there will be no more of these accidents during the rest of the rally.
-h4ck- | May 3rd, 2007 17:21 | Reply
Edit:
Oh… I’m confused… did the Porsche hit the red car (an old Golf 1?) and the driver of this car died?
Or what do you mean with “Volkswagen Golf”?… When I first read the news I missunderstood it and thought there was a second accident with the NL Golf 32 of the G3k involved.
-h4ck- | May 3rd, 2007 17:28 | Reply
Dude, thats horrible, especially for the injured woman. Even more if it was her husband…
After such an incident, the Gumballers should drive with more responsibility! Okay, otherwise no Gumball is without accidents…
Sad!
Kevin
Kevin | May 3rd, 2007 17:32 | Reply
Are you fu*king crazy?!? Both of them, husband and his wife died and u’re longing for the car?!?
Bari | May 3rd, 2007 17:35 | Reply
It seems to be team #74 on the picture.
Mupfel | May 3rd, 2007 17:39 | Reply
Possibly the first public grevious injury/death of a non-Gumballer on the Gumball rally. It sucks. D= Condolences though.
slyfoxlover | May 3rd, 2007 18:07 | Reply
Fancy even considering the car….someone died!!!
Jayne | May 3rd, 2007 18:09 | Reply
@Franqie:
What a stupid statement!
A person died in that acc and you care bout that f***ing car?
Calabas | May 3rd, 2007 18:21 | Reply
damn frangie, i like the cars to, but who gives a shit about the porsche if someone died because of that accident?
Sven | May 3rd, 2007 18:31 | Reply
Just had to leave a message after reading the last persons comments (Franqie 2nd May, 2007 21.02). Comments like that are uncalled for, yes the rally is great fun for all but who cares about any vehicle when there is loss of life.
MH | May 3rd, 2007 18:32 | Reply
So you think the car is more important then those people?
I think it was the Dream Team
Rob | May 3rd, 2007 18:32 | Reply
Fatal accident with an innocent. Gumball lost its honour to me.
Dave | May 3rd, 2007 18:36 | Reply
it’s a shame, a private citizen is dead, stop the rally, Max has not a spark of decency.
mike | May 3rd, 2007 18:48 | Reply
such bad news that the driver of the vw golf died –> let´s take a quite minute for him
alex-klex | May 3rd, 2007 18:51 | Reply
**You love the look of them??**
Someone DIED, and another will be mutilated and handicapped for life and you worry about the look of a goddamn car?
Sick, just sick.
Vincent Vega | May 3rd, 2007 18:56 | Reply
OMG why did this happen ? the first gumball dead.I never thought it would ever happen.
gumballfan3000 | May 3rd, 2007 18:57 | Reply
Somebody died…
who gives a sh!t what the car looks like…
SPUD | May 3rd, 2007 18:58 | Reply
ouch this isn’t good for the gumball… they will get alot of negative critics the next days i think :x
zjerre | May 3rd, 2007 19:05 | Reply
Franqie, you’re a jerk saying stuff like that
Panther | May 3rd, 2007 19:21 | Reply
@Franqie:
Dude :/
A man died you know.
And all you care about is the car, because ‘you like the look of it’.
You should really straighten yourself out man.
fsfikke | May 3rd, 2007 19:22 | Reply
I hope the idiots will spend their rest of their life in a filthy Macedonian jail. Can’t believe they try to escape after the crash.
I i do some times Speeding and if ever an inocent car crosses my way will turn into trees instead of the opposite car.
Sham on Gumball that they still continue the Rally.
Hope even Max will get some serius Problems because of involuntary manslaughter.
Istvan | May 3rd, 2007 19:31 | Reply
Franqie:
Is this your only concern!!!! The damn car??? One person died because of this silly, childish and completely useless race. I hope that they will lock the driver up in their jails for the next 50 years.
Wasting money is one thing, but putting others in danger just to get their hormone level up is another thing.
Tobi | May 3rd, 2007 19:39 | Reply
Who cares about which car it is and how it looks! A person died, another is bad injured, due to this bloody rich person rally.
Those people have no respect for other people on the road! Just a couple of rich stupid f#ckers :(
Bjorn | May 3rd, 2007 19:41 | Reply
“Franqie
May 2nd, 2007 21:02 4I don’t hope it is one of the Martini Porsches… I love the look of them!”
Heaven forbid some poser gets their car written off when someone dies, most likely due to idiotic driving!
I’m sure the Porsche looks less stunning with someone’s blood on it.
Anton | May 3rd, 2007 21:19 | Reply
Pleazzzzzzzzzzzz be carefull don’t let it be the last race 4 all ya all, have a bomming time greats from hollanda
Will | May 3rd, 2007 21:59 | Reply
Do you got no other problems than the look of the Martibni Porsches?
Local citizens are Injured, one died…..
I`snt that enough….I think the Gumball Rally 2007 should be canceled! The Press Statement sounds like: “Hm,…Dammit-anyway-so go on…”
Im a real big fan of gumball 3000 but there are too many strange and wrong things going on!
Brian-berlin | May 3rd, 2007 22:02 | Reply
One, maybe two people died and you’re more worried about the porsche?
shna | May 4th, 2007 01:34 | Reply
Well male is die , female is figth for a live
That is not realy not good :/
Dimi3 | May 4th, 2007 01:48 | Reply
OMG who is this idiot Franqie who made the comment “I don’t hope it is one of the Martini Porsches… I love the look of them!”
You deserve to die yourself! Dont worry about the dead, the injured or the families involved, just that theres 1 less Martini GT’s to look at. How sad are you. Some gumballers got more money than (driving) sense! R.I.P
TyreKill/64bitbrain | May 4th, 2007 01:55 | Reply
mooi kut.
pieter | May 4th, 2007 05:02 | Reply
The lawyers are trying to release the driver by blaming the dead man only. But there is a video from the security camera on the gas station near by. The truth will come out. Shame for the name of Gumball Raly. I thought this was for fun. It, s not fun to make an accident and try to get away from the injured people who may be dead. And try to leave the country. Criminals do that!
Marina | May 4th, 2007 08:59 | Reply
This is unbelievably sad and leaves me almost speechless how something that had brought happiness to hundreds of thousands of people ends in such a horrific way. My thoughts go out the deceased’s family.
RRD | May 4th, 2007 09:20 | Reply
Sadly enough I saw this coming. The Gumballers are irresponsible ingnorants. Just look at the “rally’s” timeframe and the distances to be driven. This simple equation was one of the key elements by the German police when assessing the whole situation. With 100+ km/h average speed (!) neccessary it is clearly not longer a rally but a race. The question is if Gumball itself can partly be held legally responsible for the accident. Of course according the general participation conditions of Gumball reckless driving etc. is clearly not wanted. However with the timeframes given irresponsible speeding etc. are only a logical consequence and therefore indirectly accepted…
J. | May 4th, 2007 10:30 | Reply
“OMG why did this happen ? the first gumball dead.I never thought it would ever happen.” - gumballfan
Are you really that naive? This was bound to happen at one point. It has happened in similar rally’s before. I love these supercars but this sort of behaviour i disapprove of. I hope we can get a EU-wide ban on this sort of ego-inflating stupidity that can do harm to other innocent people.
J. | May 4th, 2007 10:53 | Reply
My condolences go out to the wife and family members of the innocent man who died. My stomach turned when those pigs tried to fled the country instead. If it was up to me they would be chained like an animal for the rest of their life.
Bye pigs have a good time in jail.
Arthur | May 4th, 2007 12:08 | Reply
First my condolences to the Chepunjoski family.
This accident was the last thing that should happen to that family.Namely, their son died at age of 30 from lung cancer,the brother of a killed died also in a car accident in Australia few years ago.This was not soposed to happen but it did. And why? Nobody knows why, but we all know that it could be prevented if only the gumball pariticpant has driven acording the road signs and conditions.The speed limit on that road part is 80 Km/h.If he only drove with that speed one death would be prevented.
“The Gumblle 300 is not a race”.If it`s not a reace,what the hell was he and other cars doing by driving over 200 kM/h?My thinking is that if someone drives with 200 kM/h in a populated place, eather he has a death wish or he wants to kill somebody. We all drive cars, not fancy as gumball participants, but driving is driving,and the ruls,regulations and laws are the same,starting from simple ford,renault,opel to Lamborghini,porche,bmw,mercedes,etc.Who`s to blame i don`t know, i will leave that to the concience of the driver!
Daniel, Struga | May 4th, 2007 13:00 | Reply
This is not very good for motor sport, the competitors should be prosecuted for leaving the scene of an accident,but we must all watch what comments we make as we do not know who was responsible even though the porche was travelling fast, and as we all know that is what racing is all about, who is to say what speed it was doing at the time and where this incident took place and moreover where the third parties car was on the highway, we must wait for the police report as speculation is a dangerous thing.
Stuart Moir | May 4th, 2007 13:57 | Reply
@Frangie (May 2nd, 2007 21:02):
You don’t hope that it’s an Martini Porsche?!?
I’m also a Porsche-Maniac, but that’s perverse… Someone died and you’re worry about the car.
(…)
@Frangie | May 4th, 2007 14:57 | Reply
BAD NEWS. Wife died too.. Sorry :(
Jas | May 4th, 2007 16:18 | Reply
The rally should be stopped… and probably ended altogether for future years. It’s one thing if it were run by professional race car drivers, but these are people with no real experience controlling cars at these speeds. Taking a 5-day “M school” or “Bondurant” course won’t do much to help either.
The other thing that bothers me is that this is done on public roads. I guaruntee you the people in the golf never thought they were driving on the Nurburgring Nordschleife when they were driving down a country road in their town. My heart truly goes out to them, especially to the wife who now is without her husband :(
l1121 | May 4th, 2007 17:05 | Reply
The gumball3000 has too be canceled FOREVER.The wife died
hristijan | May 4th, 2007 19:56 | Reply
Very sad this had happened, no one can excuse death of two local people. As always, the ones responsible for this walked away unharmed, and even tried to escape from the scene - sign enough for me that THEY caused the incident and local offices should make as strict and exemplar punishment as possible. I watched Gumball 3000 with sympathies, but maybe Max Cooper should think now about stopping this event for good - that would probably be the best sign of his condolences to those who died in Macedonia. As the rest of the participants arrived to Slovakia as the final point after all that happened, police welcomed the drivers with road controls and radars, given them freedom enough to drive, but watched them carefuly, on the other side.
dolfi | May 4th, 2007 21:51 | Reply
Shut down this event now!
rico | May 5th, 2007 07:24 | Reply
Does anyone now what happend to the drivers of the porsche 911?? Are they going to jail? Heard they were in court yesterday, but havent heard anything about that.
My Condolences too the family..
D,Beckersson | May 5th, 2007 09:44 | Reply
Gumball3000 is no race, its just an illness.
It sucks if someone has to die just because some crazy guys want to have some fun.
aristro | May 5th, 2007 10:32 | Reply
My condolences to the Family and friends of the bereaved, I agree with so many of the comments that have been left. I personally feel that the Driver and passenger of the Porsche should be held as an example to would be “Race drivers”
If they are prosecuted and jailed, it will be a deterrent to others that are willing to follow their example!
Steve | May 5th, 2007 22:12 | Reply
I share the same opinion… you guys should STOP gumball forever!!
SHAME on you!!
You killed 2 persons with such a STUPID behavior… I hope you’ll be sent to prison.
REMEMBER: Life is something EVEN YOU CAN’T BUY FOR F***ING MONEY!
Noname | May 6th, 2007 20:23 | Reply
I think the Gumball Rally really should be ended forever, if it isn’t already done after this. It’s one thing if it were run by professional race car drivers, but these are just regular people with no real experience at controlling cars at these speeds. Taking a 5-day “M schoolâ€? or “Bondurantâ€? course won’t do much to help either.
The other thing that bothers me is that its done on public roads. I guaruntee you the people in the golf never thought they were driving on the Nurburgring Nordschleife when they were driving down a country road in their town.
Gumball Rally is quick to remind you that “This is the first time anything like this has happened in 9 years of travelling through over 40 countries with 1000’s of drivers” but it only takes one innocent life to be cut short to do others’ recklessness… and it’s nothing short of miraculous that nothing has happened before this.
Simply put: Gumball is a race of cars capable of unbelievable speeds… that takes place on public roads with innocent people… it’s a recipe for disaster. They have their disclaimer before the race reminding participants not to speed… but then they all laugh at it including Max, the organizer, which we’ve all seen in the video.
I hope Max and the participants will be responsible enough to own up to what has already happened and know enough that the time has come for it to just stop.
j1211 | May 7th, 2007 03:42 | Reply
Gumball should be banned for life!
Gumball 300 | June 22nd, 2007 10:50 | Reply