Teenager dies in Lamborghini test drive crash

1 Sentyabr 2014 15:14 (UTC+04:00)

A New York teenager taking a family friend's Lamborghini for a test drive died after crashing the high-powered sports car into a guardrail.

Samuel Shepard, 18, of Mount Sinai, Long Island, was taking the car for a spin on a local county road early on Friday when he lost control of the vehicle, police said.

He was pronounced dead a short time later at Stony Brook University Hospital.

The car's owner, Michael Power, who was a passenger in the car, was treated for non life-threatening injuries.

Detective Sergeant Michael Fitzharris told Newsday excessive speed is believed to have been a factor in the crash.

The officer said Mr Power had met the teenager at a car park near his home, where they started to discuss taking a test drive.

Det Sgt Fitzharris said: "I think it was probably just a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the kid, and this man chose to give him this opportunity."

Mr Shepard's father, Gene, who owns a car repair garage in Port Jefferson Station, said Lamborghinis were his son's favourite car.

He said: "Since he's a kid, he's been around cars.

"He was a very talented kid with his hands. He always helped me at the shop. He used to see his dad was working hard, and he'd pick up tools and start helping."

He said his son, who graduated in June from Mount Sinai High School, had recently been selected for the elite Army Rangers and was due to join in October.

"He had his whole future planned out," Mr Shepard told Newsday. "He knew exactly what he was going to be doing." He said he was not aware of the test drive with Mr Power, who had known Samuel since he was four.

"I'm numb," he said.