Charles “Mask” Lewis was a well-known name in mixed martial arts. He sponsored many fighters, but he’s probably best remembered for launching the MMA-influenced “TapouT” apparel line.
Sadly, Lewis won’t be selling any more shirts, as he was killed in a violent car wreck in Southern California early Wednesday morning.
Ari Bloomekatz of the LOS ANGELES TIMES has the fatal details:
A Newport Beach Police Department officer who witnessed the wreck and saw a red Ferrari and a white Porsche “spinning out of control” on Jamboree Road between Bison Avenue and East Bluff Drive at 12:57 a.m., Newport Beach Lt. Craig Fox said. The Ferrari “hit the curb and then collided with a pole.” The Porsche came to a stop at the scene for a few seconds and then sped away, Fox said.
“It was terrible. It was extensive damage to the vehicle,” Fox said, adding that the Ferrari appeared to have split in half.
I would say so.
Lewis was pronounced dead at the scene. A woman also traveling in the Ferrari was ejected out of the car during the crash, and was taken to a hospital, where she’s in stable condition. Police aren’t sure if it was Lewis or the woman that was driving.
As for the Porsche that fled the scene, police found the car a short time later - and also saw a man & a woman walking away from the vehicle.
“The vehicle had moderate damage and appeared to be consistent with the car involved in the accident on Jamboree,” Fox said. “They determined that the male had been driving the Porsche, and he was arrested” for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, he said.
Police identified the driver of the Porsche as Jeffrey David Kirby, 51, of Costa Mesa, and said his bail was set at $1 million. Newport Beach resident Lynn Marie Nabozny, 32, was a passenger in the Porsche and was arrested for public intoxication. She was released about 7:45 a.m. and will not be formally charged, Fox said. He said the investigation is ongoing but that police identified skid marks at the scene “consistent with excessive speeding.”
So, were Lewis & Kirby engaged in some impromptu street drag race? Or in some game of chicken? Or were they trying to drive each other off the road? The only thing we do know is that Mask Lewis is now dead.
Michael David Smith of FANHOUSE shares this statement released from the TapouT company on their fallen leader:
“It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we must regretfully confirm the passing of our beloved friend, brother and co-founder Charles “Mask” Lewis following a car accident that occurred last night. We are currently in the process of setting up a memorial service in his honor and will release more details as they become available. Many thanks to all for the outpouring of blessings and well-wishing during this incredibly difficult time.”
12:19 am on March 12th, 2009
Today Newport Beach has once less Ferrari and once less d-bag wearing too-tight ultimate fighting clothing. A sad day indeed…
7:03 am on March 12th, 2009
Always a f***ing showoff— you get what is coming to you after always showing off. I don't feel sorry for the fag.
7:40 am on March 12th, 2009
i guess i feel bad for his family, thats about it. i feel more bad that im gonna have to watch memorial or tibute mma shows on this clown.
8:29 am on March 12th, 2009
I guess this is what you call the ultimate Tapout.
10:05 am on March 12th, 2009
i mourn the Ferrari… another beautiful car destroyed at the hands of a douche with too much money.
11:07 am on March 12th, 2009
You guys are a bunch of incosiderate jerks for posting comments like you are. I guess it makes you feel better that someone who lived a 1000 times better life than you could ever dream of is now dead. Show some respect.
12:12 pm on March 12th, 2009
lol… jeff you are suck a f***tard he deserves all of these comments. he puts other lives in danger while driving around probably all coked up and boozed up racing some old guy in a porsche early in the morning. its called getting your just deserts.
1:42 pm on March 12th, 2009
The only d-bags here are the posters who have no respect for the passing of a good man and an important figure in MMA. Mask and Tapout sponsor hundreds of young up and coming fighters so that they could keep training and get to the big leagues.
He was a beloved member of the MMA community and a true entrpreneur who loved this sport. The fact that he was taken by a drunk driver is tragic and anyone who mocks that is made of the same moral fiber as the man behind the wheel of the other car.
After seeing this response, this will be my last visit to SBB.
2:05 pm on March 12th, 2009
Man, sad to see what the world has become! Taylor is right! Think this will be my last visit to SBB also! Just wish Mask was alive to spit in all your faces!
3:30 pm on March 12th, 2009
the guy may have gotten what he deserved.
speeding? drag racing? 1257 in the morning?
GOOD GUYS DO NOT DO CRAP LIKE THIS!!!
HE COULD HAVE KILLED AN INNOCENT PERSON.
THE LOSER IN THE PORSCHE WAS DRUNK AS WELL.
just because somebody is on t.v. or designs shirts does not mean HE is a good guy!!! are you people really that dumb?
yeah, it is sad he is dead, but by the looks of things, he did this to himself. he put himself in harms way.
3:34 pm on March 12th, 2009
o.j. simpson played football.
o.j. simpson did movies that made people laugh.
o.j. simpson killed 2 people with a knife.
fame does not equal being a nice guy.
3:35 pm on March 12th, 2009
What a waste of a Ferrari!! And yes he was a D-Bag!
3:53 pm on March 12th, 2009
Looks like the Grim Reaper got him into a Rear Naked Choke.
4:56 pm on March 12th, 2009
The poster, Jason, had no respect for the guy?
Are we reading the same thing?
Get over yourselves.
6:18 pm on March 12th, 2009
Im no longer going to be coming to sbb.com. I dont want to be associated in anyway with these jerks that leave comments on here.
6:30 pm on March 12th, 2009
You are all shallow, mindless, unintelligent, bigmouths who hide behind your little keyboard to talk shit about people who are dead. Please get a better life. You should be ashamed. Charles was a good man who had a good heart. Cared deeply for his fans, his friends, and the sport he helped grow. Don't knock the guy because he drove a Ferrari. Dare you punks to talk smack about him outloud at an MMA event. Thats what I thought.
7:17 pm on March 12th, 2009
Darn shame about that Ferrari. I hate to see a great car wasted like that. And to the posters who wont be coming back, because of a few comments, good riddance. If you want to see all nice comments about everything, try the Disney or Mickey Mouse message boards. This is reality.
7:35 pm on March 12th, 2009
A man is dead. This isn't a story about the NCAA tourney. A man that was respected has lost his life. I don't expect you to whisper sweet nothings via the message board but if you can't think of anything better to do than to talk sh*t about the deceased then I suggest you take your keyboard, turn it sideways and shove it squarely up your ass because there is no doubt it will fit.
Done with you.
9:16 pm on March 12th, 2009
boo hoo stick to your sunshine disney message boards
12:35 am on March 13th, 2009
I can't believe some of the sh*t that some of you are saying about this guy. He lost his life in an accident and and you say sorry the car got wrecked? Have some f***ing respect for the dead and that mans family. F*** a disney message board it's just some sh*t you dont say
2:36 am on March 13th, 2009
Seriously, maybe you didn't like the guy for whatever reason, and yeah, it was real stupid to be drag racing his Ferrari on local streets, but that is pretty messed up to be laughing at a guy who just died. Think about that.
If you got nothing nice to say, just don't say it. But don't be mocking a guy who just passed away. That's just really f***ed up.
12:18 pm on March 13th, 2009
So im just going to assume that you pity party guys respect everybody that dies, huh? I seriously doubt it. If we want to go into the hypocritical conversation I am all for it. Hey Kobe, Vegas, and Jeff im sure you guys would like to talk about all the good things hitler did right? All of you guys care enough about this story as I do…little to none. Or maybe you guys just like his makeup.
1:00 pm on March 13th, 2009
TheWenz said it best!
1:27 pm on March 13th, 2009
The guy took a chance and received a negative result. If you don't want that result don't drive fast enough to split your car in half if you hit something. I feel sorry for the chick he almost killed and yes he could have killed someone else. Stupid? absolutely. If his car would have slid into an innocent family all these nuthuggers wouldn't be taking up for the guy. On that note. RIP Mask. You did do some good things while you were alive.
6:54 pm on March 13th, 2009
To the Wenz!
What kind of idiot do you have to be to compare Mask to Hitler. You know NOTHING about the guy. He helped hundreds of MMA guys get sponsorships so they could compete in the sport. You talk s^%& about someone you know nothing about. Good thing you can act tough and hide behind the keyboard because there are so many people out there that were close to this guy that could make you scream for mercy in no time. If you think you are so damm tough when you come to Vegas Ill personaly show you what I mean.
11:12 pm on March 13th, 2009
jeff i thought you were leaving? now now now you are accusing me of acting tough behind a keyboard and that is exactly what you are trying to do. not to mention you are talking shit about a guy you know nothing of as well, me. like I said i love getting into hypocritical conversations and you seem to be neck deep in them. I said he got what he had coming to him, I dont respect that guy one single bit. Hey im sure hitler employed tons of young guys too, more than face paint there. hmmm this guy and hitler are sounding alot more alike every minute. why dont you get your shit straight, maybe lay off the roids or the appletinis and look at how he was putting more lives than his own in danger and is lucky to have just killed himself. giving meatheads jobs in my book doesnt justify putting lives in danger. so lets hear some more ignorant rants, they make me laugh
6:05 pm on March 16th, 2009
You compared Mask to Hitler!!! You have officially lost this argument.!
12:51 am on April 5th, 2009
You guys should shut your f***en mouths!! I hope that happens @ you!! He was a very respcted man and all-though he is gone he is still respected and loved through-out the MMA world. So Shut Your F***en Mouths!!!!
11:56 pm on April 11th, 2009
we have all made mistakes , if we were him we would ask for exceptions
12:00 am on April 12th, 2009
kinda funny if the gun was in your face, what would you do? we talk about face and his ferrari. some hate face some hate his ferrari. end of day its jealousy he had stuff nyou never will. but thats not important , you cant take it with ya anyways.
9:50 pm on April 14th, 2009
Your comments are very humorous. Both groups here act as though they are in the right. What a bunch of sniveling. The MMA side is sad because of the death of their silly dwarf clown hero. The instigators are only pointing out the facts of another death of another coked out steroid monkey from Hollywood who lost control of his Hot wheels car in the California hills. Big deal, he taught some retards how to take punches and extend their brain damage. What a fool. Respect? Sure, for the family, because now everyone will see what an asshole he was. Mask. Phhbbbbttt!!