Two drivers literally drove each other crazy in Indiana on Saturday when a speedway race escalated into a combined demolition derby and fistfight that only ended when one driver was tased.
The footage, shot at the Anderson Speedway 35 miles from Indianapolis, shows a pair flying off the track after one clips the other on a tight turn.
Furious, one of the drivers then takes his vehicle up to his opponent – then over him. Things go downhill from there.
Driven crazy: This is the shocking moment Jeffrey Swinford, 40, drove over competitor Shawn Cullen, 42, at Anderson Speedway on Saturday; the pair had collided three times earlier
Electric action: Cullen then attacked Swinford, but was tased by this police officer as the pit crew (in green shirts) stood by helplessly – and the crowd cheered
According to the Herald Bulletin, drivers Shawn Cullen, 42, of Anderson, and Jeffrey Swinford, 40, of Elwood, struck each other three times during the race.
It was the last collision that spectator Rhonda Chalfant recorded, showing Swinford’s black car rolling into the grass by the road after being clipped by Cullen, in his orange-and-black racer.
After a few startled seconds, Swinford then races up to Cullen – directly across the path of oncoming cars and narrowly avoiding a crash.
The pair appear to exchange words, at which point Swinford’s car roars towards Cullen’s, smashing into and mounting it, crumpling the front axle.
Cullen then marches out of his car, pulls off his helmet and appears to start pummeling Swinford, as one viewer observes ‘Hm, punches’ and members of the crowd shout in delight.
Wheely dangerous: Cullen is seen here getting out of his car, tossing off his helmet and then (right, through transparent plastic) beating up Swinford, who was in the driver’s seat
The pit crew just look on in confusion as a cop runs up and tases Cullen, who topples to the floor.
Both men are then led off in cuffs as a tow truck drags off the vehicles.
Swinford was charged with criminal recklessness, a Class A misdemeanor. He is out on $3,000 bond. Cullen was ticketed for disorderly conduct.
‘We actually had a great day of racing up until then,’ said Rick Dawson, owner of Anderson Speedway.
‘Swinford just got mad and used his car as a weapon. We’ve never had anything like that happen. It’s just beyond my comprehension.’
He concluded by saying that ‘Swinford will not race at this racetrack as long as I own it. And I plan to own it for a long time.’
Cuffed: Cullen (left) was ticketed for disorderly conduct. Swinford (right) was charged with Class A misdemeanor criminal recklessness and is out on $3,000 bond