Nick Adenhart, a rookie pitcher with the Los Angeles Angels, was killed in the early hours of Thursday, April 9, when the Mitsubishi Eclipse he was riding in was struck at an intersection by an alleged drunk driver.
As Adenhart, 22, and three friends were driving south on a four-lane street in Fullerton, California, just a few miles from the Angels Stadium, a red minivan apparently ran a red light and stuck their car broadside, sending it spinning into a power pole. Two of the Eclipse's passengers died at the scene while Adenhart was transported to a local hospital, where he later died.
The minivan's driver fled the scene, but was captured by police about a mile away. He faces charges of manslaughter, felony driving under the influence and hit-and-run. Incidents involving a failure to heed red lights at intersections are common in the Los Angeles area.
Adenhart and his companions had spent the late evening at a nearby dance club. Just hours before, he had pitched six innings of scoreless baseball for the Angels, his first start of the 2009 season. His father had flown out from Adenhart's home in Williamsport, Maryland, to see the game.
The young player seemed headed toward a great future. Named Baseball America's Youth Player of the Year as a 15-year-old, he was poised to be one of the top picks in the annual MLB draft when he graduated from high school in 2004. Unfortunately he suffered a serious elbow injury during his senior season and underwent reconstructive "Tommy John" surgery.
The Angels drafted Adenhart despite his injury and gave him a $710,000 signing bonus. He underwent rehabilitation under the team's care and ultimately became a member of the U.S. team that qualified for the 2006 Olympics. After pitching in the minor leagues, Adenhart appeared in three games with the Angels at the end of 2008, but this was his first season as a member of the roster on Opening Day. He was expected to be a regular member of the pitching rotation.
Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig postponed the Thursday game between the Los Angeles Angels and the Oakland A's in Adenhart's memory. - Michael Jordan, Executive Editor
cwc1 says:
09:00 AM, 04/10/09
Just tragic...
cx7lover says:
10:00 AM, 04/11/09
Sucks but honestly if his friend or whatever drove a safer car the severity of this accident could have been dramatically reduced.
firstwagon says:
03:45 PM, 04/11/09
It has nothing to do with the safety of his friend car. It was murder by the drunk piece of garbage driving the minvan.
If he'd been locked up in the 1st place, the accident would never have happened.
I'm glad he's been charged with murder now. Hopefully other idiots will think about that next time.
cx7lover says:
03:54 PM, 04/11/09
Yeah because if that eclipse didn't fold like a Chinese car in an offset front crash test, he still would have been killed by the fact that there was a drunk driving the minivan.
You can't prevent an accident, they're not called on-purposes.
Get real, stop acting like a moron.
firstwagon says:
06:40 PM, 04/11/09
The Eclipse was t-boned by a 4000 lb+ van traveling at 65 mph. Even your cx7 would have been destroyed. No car is designed for that side impact.
You really should read the CNN story on what happened. Then you would how stupid you sound.
There is no "accident" here. The driver had 3 times the limit of alcohol in his system. He was driving without a licence and was on probation after being suspended for driving drunk. He was doing twice the speed limit. He fled the scene.
Where do you see an "accident" here?
I guess behaviour like that is OK with you, just an accident that can't be prevented but I view it differently.
cx7lover says:
06:52 PM, 04/12/09
The driver was IMPAIRED, what makes you think that he ran the red light on purpose? The devil told him to?
My CX-7 weighs 3900lbs and would have a way better chance against this impact, the Eclipse is a dated old chassis with WAY less of an ability to absorb an impact and I guarantee you that the steel isn't nearly as strong as half of 70% of the cars built after 2007. Sure, it would have been destroyed but it would have a much higher chance of survival, if you disagree you're a moron.