Gary Newsome, Editor
Baja Racing News.com Expose:
UPDATED! 2011
The Marine who saved the lives of these American missionaries dies in base jumping incident
still is an "adrenline filled d-bag"
UPDATE: December 28, 2010
CLICK HERE FOR THE San Diego Union Story (Kent probably called the press to pump his name and his business)
CLICK HERE TO CONTRIBUTE Because, SCORE surely isn't going to help these God-fearing people!
Editorial Note: Now, if it were the total responsibility of SCORE and Tom Willis (Chief of Bull Crap for SCORE), this victim would have died and SCORE would not have said a, F****** word or lifted a finger.
F*** YOU SCORE supporters!
That's why the Official position of Baja Racing News.com is the victims of this tragedy should sue SCORE and everyone affiliated with them, for everything they own.
Mike Jenkins caused and ran from this event. Until the internet caught up with him, Baja Racing News.com has received reports that he paid for the air-flight pictured in the video. Remember folks, it's never too late to do the right thing.
Gary Newsome
Baja Racing News.com
From The Original Story
(Notice the Wisconsin Plate on the trailer used to haul the #86 out of Mexico, after the incident seen left on this page)
Baja Racing News.com has learned this morning from Wisconsin State Officials, the trailer used in this photo in Mexico, hasn't had its required fees paid since 2008.
Current Situation Update:
As of today, December 10, There is a report that Mike Jenkins has met with the family on December 5th. On November 17, they caused a vehicle driven and used by American church people, to be totaled and numerous, life-threatening injuries to occur.
By the grace of God, they were saved. The story is outlined below. The bills are piling up and injuries continue to damage the affected families.
Time to lawyer up and seek your targets.
Who's at risk?
1. SCORE International, the people responsible for the rules and the race. They have the racers pay for insurance that only really protects SCORE. This is an almost automatic win for the victims, in court. We'll expand on this in later reports...
[Baja Racing News.com Editor Gary Newsome has previously expressed an editorial point of view, that any pre-running done near town in Ensenada is dangerous and a violation of numerous international treaties as well as Mexican Federal and Baja California, State laws.
Such pre-running also violates numerous local laws. But, the local authorities are absolutely desperate for visitors and have limited the in-town pre-running to a 'minimum'. Gary thinks ALL pre-running west of Ojo Negros should be outlawed. This outrageous incident is testimony to the risks of any high-speed pre-running near the start line, in Ensenada, Mexico. Just to be upfront about our attitudes]
2. The driver. Mike Jenkins, owner of TRAXXAS. Deep pockets? The Mexican authorities clearly investigated and jailed Jenkins. He went to jail and was bailed out. Any other regular "American Joe", would still be there. How much was paid to get the driver out of the Ensenada jail? We are searching...
3. The truck owner, Josh Baldwin, Baldwin Racing and owner of Kane Development in Southern California. Deep pockets? Reportedly, Baldwin was several hundred miles south of the accident site when the incident occurred. It is not known whether Baldwin was jailed, nor how much it cost to get his pony out of the Mexican impound lot. If it were you or I, the truck would still be in there. Often in situations like this, it costs thousands of dollars to get your stuff out of Mexico, after you F*****-up this bad.
Interesting how the company Jenkins owns, TRAXXAS, told our reporter to "go after the owner of the truck". We are hunting...
4. The companies of TRAXXAS and Kane Development. Are they insured for these felonious acts that caused such great damage and almost deaths!? We have a reporter on this item...
5. All of the other associated chase teams, service providers and sponsors of this ill fated adventure. Will Baja Racing News.com get to the bottom of this? Hell Yes!
How is the victim doing today?
""James had a rough session with PT this morning but figured out the problem and had a much better session this evening. He was able to sit up in the wheel chair for about 2 hours without much nausea - yeah! He impresses me with the progress he makes everyday, but it's no surprise given all the prayers for it and God on our side.""
""We finall got to talk to the case worker and tomorrow someone is coming from a rehab here in SD and they will assess James to see if he is "rehab worthy". If so he will be transfered where he will get intense therapy for a period of time (that's an unknown to us yet) and if he is not ready he will stay where we are. The low blood count may have a bearing on his worthiness so pray that steak pumped him up!! He has weaned himself off morphine the last few days and today decided he would try to cut down on the Percocet and the Oxycontin which proved to be a very bad decision because the good day ended badly with him in excruciating pain again. He will get back on top of the pain tonight I hope and tomorrow can be another forward moving day. I know I keep saying this but we are so overwhelmed with all the love and concern for James and Tyley.""
Stay tuned...
December 2, 2010
Here's what has been dug up from his Twitter account:
""OK, I relocated the actual tweet on twitlonger. Here is the actual tweet:
On Saturday 20th November 2010, @mikejenkins47 said:
(In reply to CaseyCurrie)
@CaseyCurrie @rodamp the Ampudias were so helpful and generous of their time. They came to the police station and oversaw everything until the insurance company posted my bail. Then Rodrigo Sr. arranged for us to retrieve our Trophy truck at 4:00 AM. Those guys left at 6:00 AM for San Ignacio where Jr was to jump in Vildosola's trophy truck for a stint. Good luck and fortune comes to people like the Ampudias! A win for their team is so deserving!
Here is the link http://www.twitlonger.com/show/72rdil
Here is one more tweet from mikejenkins47
On Saturday 20th November 2010, @mikejenkins47 said:
(In reply to gunnslinger)
@gunnslinger the plan was for me to start and race to San Ignacio. Josh Baldwin was then to take it to the finish. We fell victim to an unfortunate accident while shaking down the trophy truck that afternoon prior to the race however. We crested a hill around mike 15 to face traffic heading the opposite direction. I swerved to avoid the other car; they did not move. The trophy truck sustained damages that could not be repaired prior to the race. The driver and passenger were hurt, one severely. Fortunately, they are alive. Bad luck. Simply an accident. Hard to feel upset at the other party when they are in the hospital and will be in recovery for likely some time. Very expensive loss for our team and obviously a huge disappointment for all of us. Again, thank God I was able to move mostly off the road rather than hit them head on!
Here is the link http://www.twitlonger.com/show/72rbjs
End of Report""
On Saturday 20th November 2010, @mikejenkins47 said:
(In reply to CaseyCurrie)
@CaseyCurrie @rodamp the Ampudias were so helpful and generous of their time. They came to the police station and oversaw everything until the insurance company posted my bail. Then Rodrigo Sr. arranged for us to retrieve our Trophy truck at 4:00 AM. Those guys left at 6:00 AM for San Ignacio where Jr was to jump in Vildosola's trophy truck for a stint. Good luck and fortune comes to people like the Ampudias! A win for their team is so deserving!
Here is the link http://www.twitlonger.com/show/72rdil
Here is one more tweet from mikejenkins47
On Saturday 20th November 2010, @mikejenkins47 said:
(In reply to gunnslinger)
@gunnslinger the plan was for me to start and race to San Ignacio. Josh Baldwin was then to take it to the finish. We fell victim to an unfortunate accident while shaking down the trophy truck that afternoon prior to the race however. We crested a hill around mike 15 to face traffic heading the opposite direction. I swerved to avoid the other car; they did not move. The trophy truck sustained damages that could not be repaired prior to the race. The driver and passenger were hurt, one severely. Fortunately, they are alive. Bad luck. Simply an accident. Hard to feel upset at the other party when they are in the hospital and will be in recovery for likely some time. Very expensive loss for our team and obviously a huge disappointment for all of us. Again, thank God I was able to move mostly off the road rather than hit them head on!
Here is the link http://www.twitlonger.com/show/72rbjs
End of Report""
Just a couple of rich guys who don't want to come clean. No problemo!
They AREN'T PRIVATE CITIZENS, they're F****** Celebrities!
Just some more nuevo-riche trailer trash walking away from nearly killing people. We get that stuff all day long here at Baja Racing News.com! And they haven't called the victims at all.
Is this new for desert off-road racing? No. As a matter of fact, this "familia" is also very adept at death threats against accident victims and sanctioning bodies ignoring horrific tales of death and destruction.
Seriously. This is what keeps us in business. The nearly constant flow of out-of-control, don't give a f*****, who litter the desert with carnage. Then, they either disappear or go online to issue death threats against anyone who can read a Bible. More LOADING>>>
December 1, 2010
Gary Powell dug up some good info:
""I discovered when I went back through tweets made the morning of the race, the morning of Nov 18th, mikejenkins47 had sent a tweet to rodamp and/or caseycurrie (not sure which as all tweets related have been deleted on all three pages) informing him that he (mikejenkins47) was let out of jail early that morning after insurance liability had been established and Ampudias posted bail for him. After which, rodamp responded at 6:34am; "glad you guys are all good!!". Mikejenkins47 went on to tweet that they then went over and got the TT out of impound with assistance. These tweets have since been deleted, only the rodamp response is still available to view.
So, it appears the police are involved and insurance liability has been established.""
The Original Reports: On Nov. 17, the night before the Baja 1000, two former Marines, were on a pre-run. Driving along the off-road desert racecourse at a safe brisk pace, the truck was dangerously overtaken at high speed by the No. 86 Traxxas trophy truck driven by Mike Jenkins and co-piloted by Josh Baldwin.
With the trophy truck’s horn blaring, Jenkins and Baldwin flew by the Ram Truck at what was believed to be 70 percent of race pace speed. Moments later, the two Marines found the destroyed trophy truck flipped over and broken up. Another vehicle was crushed and destroyed; a minivan driven by a civilian lost a head-on collision with the trophy truck.
Jenkins and Baldwin appeared to be unhurt but were confused and startled. The minivan’s driver lay trapped in a heap of metal. The members of the U.S. Marine Corps reserve — tried to save the driver. Using their first aid and combat medical training, climbed into the smoldering minivan.
After rescuing the driver that night near Ensenada, the Marines went on to finish in second place in the Baja 1000 in the team’s modified TRX4 Ram 1500.
Baja Racing News.com has left messages for both Mike Jenkins and Josh Baldwin. TRAXXAS spokesmen are running from this story like the wind, trying to avoid any association. But, that's impossible. Its the TRAXXAS Team truck and Mike Jenkins has represented similar interests. The TORC Series, that TRAXXAS sponsors was contacted and had no information on this incident.
No SCORE rep will ever comment on this event. Sure, they'll claim no responsibility. So, its up to Jenkins and Baldwin. When the injured family gets a good attorney, they can sue everyone under the warm Mexican sun, in the United States court system. They can sue every sponsor, every affiliated support crew and the sanctioning body and their Mexican insurance services.
The damaged family has made it clear, no-one has contacted them to assist their plight. Desert off-road racing, how bad is this story going to get, its up to you!
Baja Racing News.com left two messages for the rescuers in question, here is their story:
""The evening before the race, General Tire/KORE’s Kent Kroeker, his co-driver Jeremy Graczyck, KORE’s Colt Hubble and Jeremy’s dad, Jim were prerunning the start in KORE’s “TRX 4” – an uncaged, Ram 1500 moderately equipped with a radio and decent suspension. They were out to slowly recon the start a final time in order to identify booby traps, program some waypoints and make note of anything new.
About 20 miles from Ensenada, a trophy truck came up on them, hard on the horn at 70% race pace. Kroeker moved over in time and let them pass, remarking that, “****! The ****ing race is tomorrow morning.”
Five minutes later they crest a blind hill and find the TT rolled and, for the most part, destroyed. Another vehicle is also crushed and almost unidentifiable. Civilian traffic – some kind of mini van. An obvious head on collision, the result of the TT cresting the blind hill, as the co-driver stated, “going only 50 mph”.
The TT driver and co driver are wandering around, unhurt in a zombie daze. The mini van is upside down, smoldering. Kroeker and Graczyck climb into the smoking vehicle, shouting orders. Jim and Colt secure the area from oncoming traffic, call EMT/Police and disconnect the battery.
Inside is a guy trapped in the crushed metal. He’s upside down with the dash and firewall crushing his legs. He’s bleeding out fast from his left arm which has severe lacerations, is 7/8 amputated with exposed bone and muscle just below the shoulder, brachial artery pumping him out. Kroeker gets under the guy and applies upward pressure on his torso with one hand, so he can breathe and compresses the open amputation with the other. The only thing holding the arm on was some tendon, the artery and some crushed bone.
Graczyck uses Kroeker’s knife to cut some seatbelt, throws it to Kroeker who tourniquets the artery. Colt tosses Kroeker a large screw driver to torque down the tourniquet. Graczyck makes a time hack, gets the guy’s age and name, vitals from Kroeker and writes it in his notebook. Kroeker talks the guy through – “hey buddy, you’re going to be fine- no big deal. Where are you from? I’m going to touch your ass – it’s not because I’m attracted to you, I’m checking your pelvic girdle for some things (creptitus) – just seeing where we need to keep pressure- you’re going to be fine…”
Most of the guy’s lower chin is torn off, Kroeker is laying under him in the broken glass, applying upward pressure, Graczyck is tearing apart the dash, ripping the seats out. Kroeker is a pilot and a FAC and Graczyck is a special operations JTAC – same school – ground Marines - close air support – from inside the car (still smoldering) they’re shouting orders to establish a DZ in the nearby field, get our VHF radio frequency to the supporting agency and start a fire with wet wood to give signal for a talk on.
Kroeker and Graczyck are the only Americans on scene who speak Spanish.
The locals comply. Colt (another Marine Officer) tells them they won’t launch a life flight from Brown Field for some reason or another. Somehow some O2 shows up and Colt gets it on the guy’s face.
Jeremy and Kroeker’s hands and arms are covered in cuts from pulling apart the car. The guy’s blood is everywhere. Smells like a fresh gut pile. They continue to pull the car apart. Mexican Police arrive first, then Mexican EMT. This is about 1.5-2 hours after the Marines arrive on scene.
Up to this point all this is pretty standard expeditionary, combat medicine. Stop the bleeding, start the breathing, protect the wound, treat for shock – ingrained in every Marine from day one- totally routine, JV-level stuff, all happening in a permissive environment (i.e. nobody is shooting at them while this is happening).
This is where it gets weird: At least six Mexican EMTs show up and stand around scratching their heads and assessing for about 30 minutes while Gracyzyck and Kroeker are telling them what to do in Spanish from inside the vehicle. Finally Kroeker gets out and tasks the TT co driver with holding up the vic’s body, so he can breathe. Kroeker then finds the Mex in charge, tells him to shore up the vehicle, find the jaws of life, pry bars etc. Colt and Jim actually show them how to use the equipment – where to attach the pneumatics etc. Kroeker places the jaws, gets back in the vehicle, moves his hands up the guy’s legs to his ankles and holds his hands on his feet while telling the jaws operator how far to expand. He gets one leg free and the guy is screaming in pain. Kroeker is now laying under him again, bench-pressing his torso up while freeing his leg and applying pressure on his armpit.
From inside the vehicle on the opposite side, Graczyck is backbriefing the EMT on time of incident, vitals and telling the EMT where and how to insert an IV and what meds to administer. Finally they get the other leg free and a back board inside the car. It takes Graczyck, Kroeker and two EMTs to move the vic upward onto the board and get him into a cervical collar.
They get the guy into the Ambulance and help the EMTs clean up the scene. The vic’s mother is on scene, Kroeker briefs her on what to do – there are two good hospitals in Ensendada and several clinics. Make sure he gets to a hospital and not a clinic. Permit the indig doctors to get him stable and wounds clean then immediately extract to San Diego. Do not permit the Mexicans to do surgery.
Anyway, that’s what happened. The latest news is that even though the guy's arm was hanging by a piece of meat the size of your thumb for many hours, it looks like it will be able to be saved. The guy is going to lose most if not all of his triceps however. He's not out of the woods yet. Broken pelvis, numerous open fractures, etc.""
About 20 miles from Ensenada, a trophy truck came up on them, hard on the horn at 70% race pace. Kroeker moved over in time and let them pass, remarking that, “****! The ****ing race is tomorrow morning.”
Five minutes later they crest a blind hill and find the TT rolled and, for the most part, destroyed. Another vehicle is also crushed and almost unidentifiable. Civilian traffic – some kind of mini van. An obvious head on collision, the result of the TT cresting the blind hill, as the co-driver stated, “going only 50 mph”.
The TT driver and co driver are wandering around, unhurt in a zombie daze. The mini van is upside down, smoldering. Kroeker and Graczyck climb into the smoking vehicle, shouting orders. Jim and Colt secure the area from oncoming traffic, call EMT/Police and disconnect the battery.
Inside is a guy trapped in the crushed metal. He’s upside down with the dash and firewall crushing his legs. He’s bleeding out fast from his left arm which has severe lacerations, is 7/8 amputated with exposed bone and muscle just below the shoulder, brachial artery pumping him out. Kroeker gets under the guy and applies upward pressure on his torso with one hand, so he can breathe and compresses the open amputation with the other. The only thing holding the arm on was some tendon, the artery and some crushed bone.
Graczyck uses Kroeker’s knife to cut some seatbelt, throws it to Kroeker who tourniquets the artery. Colt tosses Kroeker a large screw driver to torque down the tourniquet. Graczyck makes a time hack, gets the guy’s age and name, vitals from Kroeker and writes it in his notebook. Kroeker talks the guy through – “hey buddy, you’re going to be fine- no big deal. Where are you from? I’m going to touch your ass – it’s not because I’m attracted to you, I’m checking your pelvic girdle for some things (creptitus) – just seeing where we need to keep pressure- you’re going to be fine…”
Most of the guy’s lower chin is torn off, Kroeker is laying under him in the broken glass, applying upward pressure, Graczyck is tearing apart the dash, ripping the seats out. Kroeker is a pilot and a FAC and Graczyck is a special operations JTAC – same school – ground Marines - close air support – from inside the car (still smoldering) they’re shouting orders to establish a DZ in the nearby field, get our VHF radio frequency to the supporting agency and start a fire with wet wood to give signal for a talk on.
Kroeker and Graczyck are the only Americans on scene who speak Spanish.
The locals comply. Colt (another Marine Officer) tells them they won’t launch a life flight from Brown Field for some reason or another. Somehow some O2 shows up and Colt gets it on the guy’s face.
Jeremy and Kroeker’s hands and arms are covered in cuts from pulling apart the car. The guy’s blood is everywhere. Smells like a fresh gut pile. They continue to pull the car apart. Mexican Police arrive first, then Mexican EMT. This is about 1.5-2 hours after the Marines arrive on scene.
Up to this point all this is pretty standard expeditionary, combat medicine. Stop the bleeding, start the breathing, protect the wound, treat for shock – ingrained in every Marine from day one- totally routine, JV-level stuff, all happening in a permissive environment (i.e. nobody is shooting at them while this is happening).
This is where it gets weird: At least six Mexican EMTs show up and stand around scratching their heads and assessing for about 30 minutes while Gracyzyck and Kroeker are telling them what to do in Spanish from inside the vehicle. Finally Kroeker gets out and tasks the TT co driver with holding up the vic’s body, so he can breathe. Kroeker then finds the Mex in charge, tells him to shore up the vehicle, find the jaws of life, pry bars etc. Colt and Jim actually show them how to use the equipment – where to attach the pneumatics etc. Kroeker places the jaws, gets back in the vehicle, moves his hands up the guy’s legs to his ankles and holds his hands on his feet while telling the jaws operator how far to expand. He gets one leg free and the guy is screaming in pain. Kroeker is now laying under him again, bench-pressing his torso up while freeing his leg and applying pressure on his armpit.
From inside the vehicle on the opposite side, Graczyck is backbriefing the EMT on time of incident, vitals and telling the EMT where and how to insert an IV and what meds to administer. Finally they get the other leg free and a back board inside the car. It takes Graczyck, Kroeker and two EMTs to move the vic upward onto the board and get him into a cervical collar.
They get the guy into the Ambulance and help the EMTs clean up the scene. The vic’s mother is on scene, Kroeker briefs her on what to do – there are two good hospitals in Ensendada and several clinics. Make sure he gets to a hospital and not a clinic. Permit the indig doctors to get him stable and wounds clean then immediately extract to San Diego. Do not permit the Mexicans to do surgery.
Anyway, that’s what happened. The latest news is that even though the guy's arm was hanging by a piece of meat the size of your thumb for many hours, it looks like it will be able to be saved. The guy is going to lose most if not all of his triceps however. He's not out of the woods yet. Broken pelvis, numerous open fractures, etc.""
The victim is doing better today! More LOADING NOW...
UPDATE December 5, 2010: The family reported today:
""The driver of the car in the accident and some others came from Houston to visit us. James and Tyley weren't ready to do that so Jeff and I spent well over an hour talking with them."" (Reportedly included the co-driver at the time of the accident and the Chief Financial Officer of TRAXXAS, with Mike Jenkins).
"17 days, 10 surgical procedures, 4 blood transfusions, 100 stitches, 50 stapes, 2 suppositories and most importantly 1000's of prayers later and we're out of the hospital and into a rehab facility!""
After some time in a Mexican Jail (how much $$$ did it take to get Jenkins out of Mexico?), Mike Jenkins spent a
week skiing at Steamboat Springs, Colorado: "