Jackass Star Ryan Dunn Killed in DUI Accident
We aren’t sure if any of you have ever seen any of the films that were released under the name Jackass. Nor are we sure if any of you have seen any of the episodes of the television show that aired on MTV under the same moniker.
For those of you who haven’t seen it, the premise of the show features a group of people engaging in comically absurd and extremely dangerous stunts. For instance, there is the “Fire Hose Rodeo” stunt, in which a man sits on a high pressure fire hose that is dangling from a crane. The hose is then turned on, which causes the hose to rocket back and forth in dangerous arcs.
There are also stunts like “The Ram Jam,” in which two men dress up in marching band uniforms, complete with a tuba and a trumpet, and walk into an enclosed pen with a full grown male ram. The two march back and forth, blowing on their instruments, which causes the male ram to charge them.
There is also “Beehive Tetherball,” which is exactly what it sounds like.
There have been stunts with fully functioning rockets attached to shopping carts and children’s bikes. There have been instances of jumping snowmobiles over hedges in August. There have been men who have had their bodies’ painted bright red and let loose into an enclosure with an enormous bull.
As foolish as these stunts are, at least the people who do all of them are smart enough to put a disclaimer at the beginning of every episode:
“WARNING: The following show features stunts performed either by professionals or under the supervision of professionals. Accordingly, MTV and the producers attempt to recreate or re-enact any stunt or activity performed in this show.”
We can’t speak for anybody else, but we can’t imagine ever having the urge to try any of these stunts. But we are mindful that young people sometimes make poor decisions, so having that warning in place is the right thing to do.
It should be noted that the whole Jackass phenomenon is wildly successful. The three movies and multiple series of TV shows have generated hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising, DVD sales and ticket sales.
Sadly, Ryan Dunn died in a particularly bad car accident yesterday. Mr. Dunn, who was one of the featured players on Jackass, was driving at about 140 mph when his car tore through a guardrail and careened through a heavily wooded area. His car eventually hit a tree and burst into flames. Both Mr. Dunn and a man named Zachary Hartwell were killed instantly.
Mr. Dunn’s blood alcohol content was 0.196, which was 2½ times the legal limit in Pennsylvania. He also had a history of poor and reckless driving habits, racking up 23 total citations over the course of his driving career. Mr. Dunn’s cause of death might as well have been listed as “The Law of Averages.”
Nobody has their own personal highway or street. Any time you get in the car, you are sharing a public space with other drivers, motorcyclists, pedestrians and bicyclists. You aren’t just putting yourself at risk when you drink and drive or decide to speed. Zachary Hartwell serves as an unfortunate example of that fact. Please watch your speed, and please don’t drink and drive.
Greenberg and Bederman is a car accident injury law firm located in Silver Spring, Maryland. We are offering legal help to those who have been hurt in an automobile accident due to no fault of their own. If you or a loved one in Virginia, Maryland or Washington, D.C. has been injured in a car accident, contact Greenberg & Bederman for a free legal consultation.
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