Testy Fest Tragedy – Who’s Really To Blame? [POLL]

The owners of the Rock Creek Lodge released a statement on their Facebook Fan Page today:

Many of you are aware that there was a tragic head-on collision on I-90 near Clinton early Sunday morning. We apologize for the delay in making this statement. We wanted to gather more information first.

First and foremost, the management and staff of Rock Creek Lodge and the Testicle Festival are deeply saddened by the loss of life and injuries. Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and their families.

We confirm that the truck involved in the accident was owned by Rock Creek Lodge. It was an on-premise utility vehicle which was not street-legal nor authorized to be taken off-property. It was stolen by an individual who is not employed by nor associated with Rock Creek Lodge. Further, it is not known if he was a paid participant of the Testicle Festival. The vehicle was stolen several hours after the bar was closed for the night and the festivities ended.

As reported in the media, the keys were in the vehicle. However, the keys were not in the ignition; they were hidden under the seat awaiting a mechanic. The vehicle was broken down and could not be started by staff earlier in the day.

We remind festival participants that, each year, free shuttle service is available and we discourage arriving in personal vehicles. Of course, vehicle theft is a criminal act and in this case it resulted in tragic consequences.

Again, we express our deep sadness resulting from this tragedy, and our appreciation for Testicle Festival participants who enjoy themselves while obeying the rules and acting responsibly.