Runaway car halts Madison Regatta
Wanda English Burnett - Editor

The 2006 Madison Regatta had already seen its share of trouble with debris on the river causing problems for several boats, when a car careened through the crowd and plunged into the Ohio River on Sunday, July 2.

According to witnesses at the scene, the car barreled through the crowd with the driver slumped over the wheel. Police would later learn that 18-year-old Michael Bowen of Madison, was the driver who was carrying a passenger, Cory Luedeman, 16, of North Vernon, when he drove a black 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo out of control injuring eight spectators on the shore.

Those injured besides Bowen and Luedeman include:
• Priscilla Johnson, 56, of Madison, who is listed in critical condition.
• Jennifer Willette, 28, of Michigan, who is listed in critical condition.
• Hana Roberts, 14, Madison, listed in stable condition.
• Rory Willette, 50, Michigan; Bill Cousins, 66, Bedford, KY; Carrie Bessinger, 27, Ohio; Janice Nash, 45, LaGrange, KY; and Frank Figureas, 40, Florida, all treated and released from King’s Daughters’ Hospital, Madison.

Unsuspecting spectators were in shock and disbelief at what happened. One man lost his leg in the incident and a child was hit by the car head on, according to witnesses. The car actually went airborne, hit a concrete culvert and then flipped and went through the crowd and on into the river. Some people who were at the scene simply fainted from the shock, even though they weren’t initially hurt.

The scene was one of chaos as people screamed and medical first responders immediately began giving help to those most critically injured. “It was shocking,” noted Woody Bush, who was there reporting on the race for The Versailles Republican. “People were rushing everywhere, ambulances everywhere...people were dropping over like flies.” He noted that the heat combined with the shock of what had just happened had spectators feeling faint. “It was a terrible tragedy,” he continued.

Bush noted that the mayor of Madison, Al Huntington, asked people to leave the area if they were not directly involved with the accident. He said that people were frantically searching for family members. Radio stations began to broadcast people’s names and they were reunited with their families through that process.

Results of a toxicology report on Bowen had not been released at press time. According to information published in the Madison Courier, some witnesses and police noted that Bowen drove through the crowd at a high rate of speed. It was also reported that Bower told police he had passed out.

The Regatta was canceled, the third time this was done before the final heat. The other times were due to weather related issues. Never before in the history of the race has such an event occurred.

WOODY BUSH PHOTO Rescuers rush into river Rescuers worked to pull Michael Bowen and his passenger from this car that plunged into the Ohio River after plowing through a crowd at the Madison Regatta on Sunday, July 2.

WOODY BUSH PHOTO Rescuers rush into river Officers assess the situation after the car has been pulled from the river. The mangled ATV was in the path as well as a number of people when Bowen drove through the crowd.

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