Witness: Hogan was racing

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

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Nick Bollea was ticketed for going 82 in a 45 mph zone in a construction zone earlier this month.

CLEARWATER (Bay News 9) -- Pinellas Park police have released dash-cam video of Nick Hogan's traffic stop for speeding in a construction zone earlier this month.

Hogan was ticketed just two weeks before he crashed his Toyota Supra in Clearwater Sunday night.

A witness to that car accident, involving the 17-year-old son of wrestler Hulk Hogan, said the teen and another car were racing before the crash.

On Sunday, Nick Hogan's Toyota Supra hit a palm tree, critically injuring his passenger, 22-year-old John Graziano of Dunedin, a marine who had served 9 months in Iraq and arrived home last year.

While police say speed was a factor, they haven't confirmed what some say they saw - racing.

Frances Vitalis witnessed the crash.

Vitalis said Sunday night she was driving behind Hogan and another car on her way back from the beach.

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"A silver dodge viper ahead of us on the left and then a yellow toyota," Vitalis said. "And they were kind of like revving their motors a little bit and then the light changed and they just took off, you know. And they were just flying down the street."

Vitalis said Hogan barely stopped his car in time for the next red light.

And when it turned green both cars took off again, for the last time.

"You know how you just get that sinking feeling in your heart that's just like, ugh, this is not a good thing and we seen the yellow car, the toyota, fishtail and it turned sideways and just slammed into the median and hit the palm tree," Vitalis said.

Vitalis is a nurse practitioner so she ran to the car to see if she could help the 17-year old reality t-v star and his passenger.

"I didn't see the driver because it was just mangled metal and it was just car inside the car," Vitalis said. "But I seen John and he's not doing real good you know. He had hemorraging from his nose."

Vitalis says she tried to give her statement to police but they were too busy to take it, so she left the scene.

Vitalis said speed and a wet road were definitely factors in the accident.

"It didn't seem like it was a malicious road rage kind of thing. It just seemed like they were kids out hot dogging, having a good time," Vitalis said.

Nick Bollea's Toyota Supra was destroyed in the crash Sunday night in Clearwater.

Clearwater police said they're going to interview Vitalis along with any witness that comes forward.

A hospital spokeswoman said Graziano remains in critical condition.

Nick Hogan, whose real name is Nick Bollea, received two speeding tickets earlier this year.

Hogan was ticketed in Osceola County in April for going 106 in a 70 mph zone and also earlier this month in Pinellas Park for going 82 in a 45 mph zone.

Hogan's mother, Linda Bollea released this statement Monday:

"Nick is currently at the hospital with John and his family. His sole concern is for the wellbeing of his friend. On behalf of my family, we ask that your thoughts and prayers be with John and his loved ones."

Clearwater Police spokesman Wayne Shelor said Bollea's car was traveling at a high rate of speed on SR 60 at approximately 7:30 p.m. The car hit a raised median on Court Street and flipped around. The back end hit a palm tree.

Bollea and Graziano both had to be removed from the car by paramedics and were airlifted to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg.

Alcohol is not believed to have played a part in the crash.

The Hogans had recently moved back to the Bay area from Miami, and Nick Hogan talked about his budding drift racing career during an interview with Bay News 9.

That interview, along with an un-edited interview with the Hogan accident witness, Frances Vitalis, can be seen later on Bay News 9 on Demand , channel 342 on Bright House Networks digital cable.

Hogan appears on the reality TV show "Hogan Knows Best" with his father, mother and sister.

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