DEATHS AT MONZA Italians Charge Racing Driver

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30233, 11 September 1963, Page 15

DEATHS AT MONZA Italians Charge Racing Driver

(N2. Press Association—Copyright) MONZA (Italy), September 9. The new world car racing champion, Jim Clark, has been charged with “plurimanslaughter and disaster” for his alleged actions at the time of the Monza track crash in 1961.

Wolfgang von Tripps, a prominent driver, and 18 spectators were killed in the mishap.

The Monza police commissioner, Dr. Enrico Setajolo, said the charges were laid against Clark by an investigating magistrate. Dr. Renato Improta, on the basis of articles at the Italian penal code.

Clark, a Scottish farmer, was notified yesterday—after he won. the thirty-fourth G~and Prix of Italy and cl inched the 1953 world title —that he had to report to Monza Court today. Dr. Setajolo said. "It is true that I asked him to sign a summons but from a legal viewpoint it made no difference, even if he refused to sign it,” he said.

“I tried to explain to Clark that he was not in danger of being arrested, in spite of the two charges issued against him. If we wanted to arrest him. we could have done it any time, even in that very moment.” Dr Setajolo said' Clark told a press conference in London this evening he left Italy aboard Jack Brabham's plane and that the Italian police had been informed he was leaving the country. ‘This is not true,” Dr. Setajolo said. “Clark did not need to notify the police and he did not. Furthermore, even if be had done so, we could not arrest or detain him because be was not on the wanted men’s list.” The official summons which Dr Setajolo tried to hand Clark yesterday charged the cnamp.on with carrying out “a dangerous manoeuvre agamsS sports rules” when h , car allegedly collided w- th von Tripps's Ferrari, which was hurled into the crowd

Dr. Setajolo said the ease was still in the preliminary stage. In London. Clark said Italian police tried to get him to sign a form wrritten in l alian which they would not translate into English

“I thought it was all finished,” Clark said “I told the police inquiry a year ago all I knew about the Monza business. “It seems they are intent on finding a culprit for the accident.” Clark said he had a clear conscience about the 1961 disaster. He said he was willing to return to Italy any time to answer any allegations.