Charles Lewis Jr., known as Mask amongst the MMA community and owner of TapouT, died in an accident at around 1:00 AM this morning after his $300,000 Ferrari Modena crashed into a light pole, splitting it in half. A female passenger was ejected from the car and taken to a local hospital where she was treated for broken bones.
Police say Mask was racing a guy in a Porsche and the two hit each other which sent both of them spiraling out of control. The Porsche made out unscathed and drove off. The driver and passenger in the Porsche were later found and arrested. The driver was charged with gross vehicular manslaughter with DUI.
There has been speculation that Mask’s female passenger may have been his fiance. A rep for TapouT released this statement:
“It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we must regretfully confirm the passing of our beloved friend, brother and co-founder Charles “Mask” Lewis following a car accident that occurred last night. We are currently in the process of setting up a memorial service in his honor and will release more details as they become available. Many thanks to all for the outpouring of blessings and well-wishes during this incredibly difficult time.”
However douchey the TapouT crew may seem, they did a lot for the MMA community through sponsorships, helping the sport grow. Granted, if what I’m reading is correct, Mask, who may or may not have been intoxicated at the time, was street racing. If true, it’s hard to feel too much pity for him. Have people learned nothing from Nick Hogan?
