Former Gizmondo exec. involved in Ferrari Enzo crash
by Conrad Quilty-Harper 
{ Feb 22nd 2006 at 12:30PM }
Stefan Eriksson, the former executive officer of the now bankrupt Gizmondo Europe, who resigned from the company after it emerged that he was convicted of financial fraud in the mid-90s, was involved in a high speed car crash which totalled a $1 million Ferrari Enzo. Police in the Los Angeles district of Malibu said in a statement that the car was owned by Mr. Eriksson, but that he was not driving.
According to the former exec. a German man called Dietrich--who fled the scene--was driving the car. That's convenient considering that Mr. Eriksson's blood-alcohol level was above the legal limit. The car, which was travelling at around 192km/h, mounted an embankment, became airborne and was sheared in two on collision with a pole. Apparently the car was taking part in a street race with a Mercedes SLR, a $677,500 car.
So when Mr. Eriksson claimed to have left Gizmondo to "pursue new entrepreneurial ventures", he meant to say that he'd be throwing away a third of the $3 million in salary and bonuses he earned from his time at Gizmondo by getting involved in the writing off of his one million dollar car. Stefan Eriksson, with his mobster past and reckless attitude to his own life and others, is the sort of person the video games industry (or any industry for that matter) doesn't need.
Note: the picture above is not the actual Enzo. Check out Carguy's comment to view pics from the real wreck.
[Thanks, Jazz]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jc @ Feb 22nd 2006 12:37PM
I wonder if they found a copy of 'Need for Speed' in the car... or does that kind of information only get released if there are kids breaking the law??
nojok3 @ Feb 22nd 2006 12:38PM
And you wonder why they went bankrupt 0_0
Radical Rick @ Feb 22nd 2006 12:39PM
Hey that's not the picture of the car!
mandarin @ Feb 22nd 2006 12:41PM
Next stop: Car Insurance...
He probably made more money crashing the car...
Frank @ Feb 22nd 2006 12:41PM
It is believed that he was the one driving. he had a busted lip and both airbags went off and only the driver side airbag had blood on it. He may have switched positions to make it appear as though someone else was driving. Not to mention that it is his car and even with an air search this other person has not been located or seen by anyone. Crazy stuff going on man.
ck @ Feb 22nd 2006 12:45PM
I wish my life was this exciting. At least he has a story to tell the people at the local dive when he has to give oral sex for a shot of whiskey. Who cares if he loses millions, right?
gizmondo_hater @ Feb 22nd 2006 12:47PM
hehehehehe
the fraud...hope his gizmondo got busted too.
LaughingTarget @ Feb 22nd 2006 12:48PM
His insurance company will likely not pay out anything actually. Two reasons:
1. If the above picture is the actual car, it looks like it was just driven off the lot. It still has the price written on the windshield. Not sure about millionaire playboys, but I usually wipe that stuff off before I even get off the lot. Insurance companies usually have a sort of "waiting period" to avoid fraud.
2. He was street racing. Insurance does not pay out if the accident involved any criminal activity. Street racing is a large enough traffic violation to be classified as a low-level crime.
So, this guy is out his $1 million, and still has to pay the taxes on it.
carguy0625 @ Feb 22nd 2006 12:50PM
http://www.jalopnik.com/cars/news/more-on-the-enzo-incident-on-pch-with-photos-156121.php
These are the best pics of the wreck, he is lucky to be alive. Drunks always survive horrible wrecks with barely any scratches it seems.
A @ Feb 22nd 2006 12:51PM
499 Ferrari F60's (Enzo's) left :)
UO Guy @ Feb 22nd 2006 12:55PM
"1. If the above picture is the actual car, it looks like it was just driven off the lot. It still has the price written on the windshield. Not sure about millionaire playboys, but I usually wipe that stuff off before I even get off the lot. Insurance companies usually have a sort of "waiting period" to avoid fraud."
Wrong. Not only is that not a picture of the car, that information was written on it to identify the car - not because it was on the lot. Do you really think that when you get a Enzo delivered, they have shoepolish on the windshield? Also, most insurance kicks in right away. Break it right away and good luck getting insurance at a reasonable rate any time in the next decade.
UO Guy @ Feb 22nd 2006 12:56PM
Actually 498 by that reasoning. Ferrari always makes 1 less than they think they can sell, to ensure there is always demand. I am quite sure more than 1 Enzo has been totaled. www.wreckedexotics.com
leo @ Feb 22nd 2006 1:01PM
398 I believe, they produced 399.
and 1 is at my home (I wish)
by the way, yeah, this guy sure is suck at lying.
you let someone drive your ferrari at a street race?
and he let you sit beside him, while you are drunk??
yeahh riteeeee
jc @ Feb 22nd 2006 1:03PM
Here's a newsclip on this crash... the Enzo got it much worse than the one in the above picture.
http://www.cbs2.com/video/?id=14542@kcbs.dayport.com
Osiris @ Feb 22nd 2006 1:10PM
Hmm i doubt the markings are sales price, they clean that off before they even give you the car.
It's more likey a reference no. that was given when it was towed.
Nice job, i'm surprised he didn't die or something looking at the state his car is in..
He's probably become an alcoholic with the major failure Gizmondo turned out to be.
jaywalker @ Feb 22nd 2006 1:13PM
I'm sure he is still doing a lot better than the current Gizmondo execs.
Grindstone @ Feb 22nd 2006 1:29PM
I wish I could wreck someone else's Ferrari Enzo.
Check out those pics! The engine is a good 300 meters from the body of the car. Crazy. I've read some reports that he was doing about 150mph. Considering the V-12 motor is that far from the initial crash site, I'd be willing to bet he was in that ballpark of speed.
Anticrawl @ Feb 22nd 2006 1:37PM
I heard about this on Walter and Johnson this morning, crazy. Who the hell would let someone drive their 1 in 400 $1 million dollar car. I wouldn't let my own wife/mother drive that car. I wouldn't drive it. Damn. Haha they were talking about the reasons behind it shocking the Ferrari community because it wasn't owned by a celebrity or someone in hollywood, and they were disgusted by who it was owned. They never said it was a gizmondo employee though. Yeah they said the engine kept moving at about 60 mph after the car crash. Considering it was going 120 mph when the crash occured it's in great shape. I imagine they restore that car and I bet there is like a $200,000 dollar deductable haha.
What a dumbass, though you'd expect this kind of behavoir from someone who invested all that money into a device like the Gizmondo. He'll never learn.
Anticrawl
djSyndrome @ Feb 22nd 2006 1:45PM
Did he actually *own* the car? If I recall correctly, F50's were lease only - none were available for outright purchase. Also, the Enzo is not street legal in the United States, meaning that it was not insurable for road use.
EatingPie @ Feb 22nd 2006 1:54PM
WOW. No kidding that's not the car!! (Hopefully we'll get a change on the site to a real picture.) I read "sheered in two" and shrugged... but look at the REAL pictures! Man, I'd buy a Ferrari just for the safety features! Car split in half, and the guy walked away! SPLIT IN HALF!!!
One note on the Enzo. Even if you have $1M, you can't buy one. This was a special model, and only sold to previous long-time Ferrari owners. You basically had to qualify with Ferrari to even purchase it.
His Ferrari credit rating... down the tubes!
-Pie
hoob @ Feb 22nd 2006 1:58PM
The reason most drunks tend to not be as injured in accidents is because their body isn't as aware. The mind isn't preparing for the collision, so it seems to cause less damage and whatnot. That's how it appears to be, from what I've learned. Same thing with drivers who fall asleep behind the wheel.
Mark Anthony @ Feb 22nd 2006 1:59PM
hahah.. i saw this on the news this morning... i was thinking.. "stupid rich people"
MrPolarBare @ Feb 22nd 2006 3:06PM
Maybe he will be added to next year's "Videogames's Most Interesting People" list. (If you guys remember that story a few months back posted on Joystiq).
Guy gets paid $3 million to run a company into the ground, and then spends $1 million of it running a Ferrari into a pole.
Sounds about right... He'll probably be ranked behind a girl that licks her PS3.
Todd @ Feb 22nd 2006 3:07PM
"This was a special model, and only sold to previous long-time Ferrari owners. You basically had to qualify with Ferrari to even purchase it."
This is true if youre buying one new from a licensed dealer. They essentially make the car to your specs. However, if you want to buy one used all you have to do is have the money.
"The reason most drunks tend to not be as injured in accidents is because their body isn't as aware. The mind isn't preparing for the collision, so it seems to cause less damage and whatnot."
Mostly it's because they are relaxed. You tend to hurt yourself more because you "brace for impact". If your body is relaxed (asleep or intoxicated as suggested) less damage is done. There is a great scene in Red Dwarf that highlights this situation in which the main characters know they are about to crash land on a planet, but sit down and try to read magazines to relax and take their minds off what is about to happen.
LordBug @ Feb 22nd 2006 3:15PM
As the article mentioned, that pic is not the Enzo in question. The article picture is from a 2 year old Enzo wreck: http://www.wreckedexotics.com/enzo/enzo_20040205_001.shtml
Joystiq just cropped out the tags (tsk).
Tiberius Jones @ Feb 22nd 2006 3:41PM
Idiot...what more needs to be said?
MosquitoControl @ Feb 22nd 2006 3:58PM
Hahahahaha, a Ferrari with the price on the windshield... good one!
Frank @ Feb 22nd 2006 4:25PM
The Enzo is very much street legal in the US. His just happened to not be registered in the US yet. And as previously stated they were sold to current Ferrari owners and custom made for them, though a few where still sold used for a nice mark up by those spoiled turds. oh well.
Edie @ Feb 22nd 2006 7:02PM
What I find kind of surprising about the commentary to this accident is focussing on what a dumbass this guy was for wrecking an expensive car.
Dudes.... He was racing in excess of 120mph on public freakin' streets. Okay, so an Enzo is built for high-speed collisions... but Hondas and VWs and Subarus and Pontiacs aren't. This guy is a dumbass extrordinaire -- but not for wrecking his $1 million ride but for doing something so unbelieveably dangerous to EVERY OTHER PERSON ON THE ROAD!!!
It's completely demonstrative with the self-absorbed, selfish nature of a guy who would rip off investors and everyone else at Gizmodo. If it wasn't enough to know that he trashed a company for his own greedy materialistic, juvenile needs, then this crash might convince you.
People with this little regard for anyone else but themselves and their immediate IDs should rot in jail. Just short of 1st degree murder what he did-- he just got lucky that he didn't actually end up killing someone else.
Will @ Feb 22nd 2006 11:57PM
99.9999% of people that own Enzos keep that kinda behaviour on the track, you don't own a supercar unless you deserve it. What a dumbass, I totally agree with #29.
vakerorokero @ Feb 23rd 2006 12:24AM
I guess it's a small world!! hahahaha. I bet some dude made some voodoo magic after they cancelled production of the gizmodo. damn. Sure works. ahahahahha
ComeGetVirus @ Feb 23rd 2006 5:57AM
This guy is a convicted criminal and member of the Swedish Mafia. He must of lied to US immigration to get entry because having a criminal record like his should have barred him from entry.
LouDe @ Feb 23rd 2006 5:06PM
I would have kicked Mr. Dietrich's booty for crashing my Enzo.
one man @ Feb 24th 2006 9:07AM
umm if you got the money you can buy anything you want and these kinda cars are bought and paid for a year befor its even in production and trust me just because this car does 225 it is deffinatley not desighned for high speed crashes ive seen normal vehicales take on better damage at the same rates of speed you guys act like 120 is fast thats not fast ive got a 96 ford tuarus that does 120 easily and i cruise the 95 north to las vegas at that speed with no problems even passing cops going the other direction
John Davis @ Mar 4th 2006 3:07PM
The guy still owns http://www.OnlineTraderAds.com which I am sure puts millions in his pocket!
Derek Brown @ Mar 9th 2006 2:55AM
the car is designed for high speed crashes! the car was built to split like that, it was built to put more damage to the car than on the passengers and the people it crashes into, that's why the people got away with only very minor injuries. yes it is street legal and you can buy it.. i know 3 people who own them, my dad is one of them. he's not gonna go bankrupt or anything .. he's still a CEO. a million dollars wont change his life.. its a million.. this guy owns 15 ferraris, my dad told me, so this isnt going to make much a difference to his financial life.
Derek Brown @ Mar 9th 2006 2:59AM
actually he isnt still the CEO, he's a former ceo, it says on the title. im only 13 yrs old btw.. and i dont mean to sound all show offy on the last comment
James @ Apr 6th 2006 6:33AM
You think this is bad. Take a look at our man in UK. Prince Naseem Ahmed boxer. He was a genious when fighting. Now he smashed his Mclaren Mercedes car.
http://www.sky.com/skynews/picture_gallery/0,,15410-1180413,00.html
He ran away also while on the scene but apparently it was not true. the media loves to bullshit.
Davide @ Apr 16th 2006 4:23PM
Not the first Enzo thats been wrecked but probably the most interesting. His story is pretty weak. There was a homeland security angle to the story, something about two officials showing up at the scene and being granted inspection privileges, and then the disappearing. Their authenticity later questioned.
I wonder if he was related to the fire at that Ferrari warehouse in Sweden a few years back. Something like 50 cars were burnt up, check out wrecked exotics for pictures.
About buying an Enzo, you have to have owned more then one Ferrari previously and over the course of several years to even apply to purchase one. Not sure about the leasing issue that someone had mentioned earlier. There might be restrictions placed on export or any immediate sale of a car.
It's pretty funny as a side thought, but maybe Stefan Eriksson has read these comment and or posted something. Just incase "you are a DUMBASS!"
nick @ Apr 20th 2006 6:22AM
It's all nice and simple when the vast majority (if not all of us) have NOT ever driven an Enzo to critisize any1 driving it to the limit. I have driven my lousy (in comparison) bmw at a top 147 mph, and I would drive it like that EVERY day if it wasnt for car insurance (and maybe even losing the car and doing some jail time, ouch, for those who know the law).
We would ALL drive these cars to the limit (at least a few times) if we owned them, u dont buy a car like that to drive grandma to church.
Conrad Quilty-Harper @ Apr 20th 2006 7:46AM
Nick, are were you a Gizmondo executive? If not, then that's possibly the most stupid comment I've ever seen on Joystiq.