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Rediff.com  » Sports » Atwal was not racing, says father

Atwal was not racing, says father

Source: PTI
March 12, 2007 18:53 IST
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Arjun Atwal's father on Monday claimed that the golfing ace was not involved in any high-speed street race in Orlando and does not know the person who died in the mishap on Saturday.

Harminder Atwal said he had spoken to his son after the accident.

"He is a trifle nervous, but otherwise he is okay," said Atwal.

Reports from the US have said that Atwal could be charged with being involved in a high-speed street race after he escaped unharmed from the mishap that killed another driver on highway SR 535 in Orlando, Florida.

Atwal senior, however, said the police only recorded a preliminary statement from Arjun and does not have any plans to proceed on the matter.

"As Arjun was an eye-witness, the police recorded his statement. And that was the end of the matter. It is wrong to say that he faces high speed driving charges," he said.

Narrating the sequence of events he gathered from his son, Harminder said Arjun was returning home after the day's practice when he saw through the rear view mirror a car chasing him at great speed.

"As it was coming at a very high speed, Arjun apprehended that the car will hit his vehicle and he also speeded up a little bit. But the person driving the other car may have thought that he wanted to race and speeded up further.

"Arjun had to turn left and so he went to the left of the divider. But the other person apparently did not know the area and tried to overtake him from the wrong side. He hit a bend and lost control.

Arjun got out of the car, rushed to the driver of the other vehicle, later identified as John Noah Park, and himself informed the police, his father said.

Park later died in hospital.

"At no point of time was there any contact between the two cars," he said.

33-year-old Arjun Atwal, the first Indian to play on the US PGA Tour, has already condoled Park's death.

Police have stated that neither drugs nor alcohol were involved in the accident and Atwal had not been charged in the case yet.

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