Street Outlaws star Jeff Lutz and his family escaped serious injury in a crash and fire that shut down Interstate 90 near Post Falls, Idaho early Thursday morning, when a drunk driver going the wrong way caused a collision that destroyed Lutz’s motorhome and caused significant damage to his stacker trailer.
The crash occurred on the Spokane Street overpass when a Dodge Caravan, driven eastbound in the westbound lanes, sideswiped Lutz while he and his family were en route to this weekend’s Speed Promotions Racing event at Qlispe Raceway Park near Spokane, Washington. The impact ruptured the truck’s fuel tank, igniting a fire that quickly engulfed the cab and living quarters. Jeff Lutz, his wife, son Jeffrey, and their dog were inside the toterhome and narrowly escaped before flames fully consumed the rig.
According to the Idaho State Police, the Caravan driver, a 62-year-old man from Spokane Valley, collided with the Lutz rig on the overpass at milepost 5. Fire crews were able to save the trailer and its contents. The Caravan driver was transported to the hospital with minor injuries, while Lutz and his family were treated at the scene and released.
Lutz checked in with his followers from a local tow yard after the incident, where he and Jeffrey have been working to make what’s left of the trailer roadworthy enough to haul home to Pennsylvania. Though everyone survived with minor injuries, the crash destroyed what Lutz had worked so hard for for over two decades. “This is crazy. To lose everything to a drunk driver is devastating to me,” he says. “We lost our phones, our wallets, everything in the fire,” Lutz shared in the emotional video. “The truck was a total loss. The trailer isn’t much better. Jeffrey is trying to get it roadworthy. I just want to go home so I can empty the contents. Everything’s in there. Anybody that knows me knows what’s in there.”
Despite the loss and traumatic experience, Lutz expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support from his fans and fellow competitors. “Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers. We love each and every one of you,” he said. “I won’t be racing this weekend, I won’t be racing next weekend. I just want to go home. My life flashed before my eyes and that was an eye-opener for me,” he added in closing.