The Palm Beach Post

11-09-1995

Racer Killed In Accident At Key West Boat Races

By: Chris Dummit - Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

KEY WEST - One racer was killed and three others seriously injured Wednesday in two separate accidents in the first of two heats of the Key West World Championship offshore powerboat races.

The two accidents involved three boats, including one on which Delray Beach's Jerry Stark was the throttleman. He escaped injury when his boat, Black Shadow, collided with another boat.

Pepe Fereira, throttleman of Mr. K/Frank's Marine, was pronounced dead at the scene after his 33-foot catamaran race boat tripped on a wave and slammed into another wave at 80 mph, said David Di Petrillo, the medical and safety director for Super Boat Racing.

``It was a very violent accident,'' Di Petrillo said. ``After the boat tripped and stuffed, the boat literally exploded apart.''

The death is the fifth since 1984 on Key West's 10-mile triangular course, known for being dangerous.

Carlos Gonzalez of Miami was flown to Cedars Medical Center in Miami. A third person in the boat, driver Rolando Garcia of Hialeah, was listed in serious condition at Lower Florida Keys Health Systems Hospital.

Chicago's James Finkiipscomb, a crew member of Black Shadow, a pro stock boat, was in critical condition with head, neck and shoulder injuries at Lower Florida Keys after his 30-foot boat was struck by Zerodefect, a 45-foot Open class boat driven by Laith Pharaon of Theodore, Ala.

There were no injuries to Zerodefect crew members or to Stark.