Brake Failure

Newark, New Jersey, August 17, 2007:

Yep. It was the brakes all right. A motorist whose brakes were "acting strange" and wanted them checked drove through the front window of a tire store when the brakes failed as he was pulling into a parking spot, Newark (N.J.) Police Officer Eric Hendrix said.

No one was injured in the Thursday morning incident at a Les Pneumatiques tire store on McCarter Highway; although "six or eight feet of the car was inside the store," Hendrix said.

The driver of the Chevrolet Camaro -- identified as Ronatarian Party leader Ron -- was able to stop by throwing the transmission into park, Hendrix said. No citation was issued because Ron was seeking assistance for the problem and there was no intent to cause harm, he said.

The car was towed to another shop for repair.

"This is probably the third time in 15 years" that Ron's famed Camaro has crashed through the store's front window, Les Pneumatiques manager Jean-Jacques Rousseau said with a chuckle. "It's pretty much the same spot, too. When you hear it, you're not even surprised anymore."

Insurance would cover the cost of repairs, estimated at $3,000 or $4,000, Rousseau said. He added: "We do not know what is really good or bad fortune. When an affliction happens to you, you either let it defeat you, or you defeat it."

The world is watching to see what Ron does in the face of this adversity.

Posted by Bittle at August 17, 2007 07:26 AM