ENSENADA, Baja California Peninusla, Mexico, June 5, 2016 (Gephardt Daily) — Orem resident and Vivint Smart Homes CEO Todd Pedersen was shaken but otherwise unhurt Saturday when the vehicle he was driving in the Baja 500 off-road race struck and killed an 8-year-old spectator and injured the boy’s mother.
The Baja 500 organization released the following statement about the accident:
“Racer Todd Pedersen, Orem, Utah, while negotiating a turn entering the Ensenada wash and attempting to avoid some fans, eventually hit three spectators.
“An 8-year old boy was fatally injured in the accident, according to police on the scene. He was transported to an Ensenada hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
“The boy’s mother was hospitalized and is reported in stable condition at a hospital in Ensenada with head and leg injuries. The identities of the two victims were not released.”
No information was provided about the third person injured in the crash.
Pedersen also released a statement on the incident:
“I’m devastated by the tragic accident that happened this weekend. My heart goes out to the family at this time.”
The YouTube video below shows the accident from a distance. Although it is not graphic, it may be disturbing to some, so view at your own discretion.
Pedersen, 47, founded what would become Vivint Smart Home in 1997 in Provo. The company, which specializes in home security products, bought sponsorship, including naming rights for the former Delta Center in Salt Lake City. The Vivint Smart Home Arena is home to Utah Jazz during the basketball season.
Being a mother who lost a child before his time; I wonder how Todd Pederson can sleep at night. How can you minimize this family’s loss by making a mere statement of how bad you feel for this family. After all you still have all of your children come visit you at the office and you get to tuck each one of them into bed every night. This mother; which was also hospitalized with injuries will not get that luxury upon her return to her home. Instead she will have to endure packing up her son’s belongings and make some attempt to move forward with her life. Anyone with any common sense knows that if this child spectator was killed by a “blue collar” worker my educated guess would be that this person would still be sitting in a Mexican prison. I am pretty confident that a lot of money was thrown at this to make it “go away” .
My advice to you Mr Pederson is to sit down and really ponder what it be like if one of your children was unexpectedly taken away from you. I can tell you from personal experience that that it is not something that someone who is catered to so regularly could even begin to comprehend.