Charles Lewis Jr., known as “Mask” and as founder of mixed martial arts gear and clothing line TapouT, was pronounced dead early Wednesday morning after a fatal car crash ended his life in Newport Beach. The accident also left a female companion in critical condition that had been ejected from the passenger seat of Lewis’s Ferrari. Local authorities have arrested a second driver who was reported to have been drunkenly racing alongside Lewis in a Porsche.
According to police reports, Lewis collided with the racing Porsche, left the road, hit a curb and crashed straight into a light pole. The impact split his car in two. The driver of the Porsche is reported to have come to a brief stop at the scene of the crash before then speeding off. He was later picked up by local police and charged with gross vehicular manslaughter.
Well known within the mixed martial arts community, Lewis (better known as “Mask”) and Dan Caldwell (also known as “Punkass”) created TapouT in 1997 in San Bernadino, California. The two later joined with Skyscrape (name unknown) to become the TapouT Crew. TapouT has since become the premier MMA gear and clothing brand and as of 2007 has made its way into television with the reality TV series TapouT. The show, shown on sports cable channel Versus, follows the TapouT Crew as they search the US for new fighters to sponsor.
No word yet from Lewis’ family, but the TapouT website reports that they “are currently in the process of setting up a memorial service in his honor and will release more details as they become available.” Our condolences go out to his friends and family.
UPDATE: Authorities now report Jeffrey David Kirby, 51, of Costa Mesa to be the driver of the Porsche.
Comments
hrevel
March 12th, 2009 - 9:50:45 AM
I created a memorial in his name. Please visit and leave a message, light a candle, share a story, etc. http://www.ilasting.com/charleslewis.php