http://news.yahoo.com/s/cpress/2006...reet_race_fatal

TORONTO (CP) - The fantasy world of video game street racing may have influenced two teenage boys accused of piloting real-life luxury cars in a high-speed contest that claimed the life of a taxi driver, police said Wednesday.

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A copy of Need for Speed, a game that allows players to select high-end cars and race them through crowded urban areas, was found on the front seat of one of the suspect's cars following the late-night crash.

"Here we have, in real life, two guys driving high-end cars at a high rate of speed in an urban area," said Toronto police Det. Paul Lobsinger.

"I don't think it's a giant leap for people to say, 'Wow, how does this go together?' "

The 18-year-old friends were racing a pair of Mercedes Benzes through one of the city's wealthiest neighbourhoods on Tuesday night, reaching speeds of 140 kilometres an hour in a 50-kilometre zone, police allege.

The taxi was struck while making a left turn onto the road, killing 46-year-old driver Tahir Khan.

The married father of two young children immigrated to Canada six years ago from Pakistan, said Jim Bell, general manager of Diamond Taxicab Association.

"He was working to . . . reunite his family in Canada, and lived the Canadian dream," said Bell.

"Tahir's dream for him and his family has been ended."

The blunt force of the crash left the taxi wrapped around a utility pole, plumes of steam still rolling off the wreckage as investigators sifted through the twisted metal.

Despite finding an auto-racing game at the scene of the crime, Lobsinger stressed the game wasn't solely to blame.

"Look, in the proper perspective . . . if everyone imitated a video game such as that, we'd have to ban cars," he said.

The driver of the Mercedes involved in the crash suffered only a few scratches. The other driver fled the scene, police said.

Alexander Ryazanov and Wang-Piao Ross are charged with criminal negligence causing death. Ross also faces a charge of failing to stop after an accident causing death.

Both Ryazanov and Ross appeared in court Wednesday, with their bail hearings rescheduled to Friday and next Monday, respectively.

In the prisoner's docket, Ross, dressed in a white and beige hooded sweatshirt, whispered to Ryazanov, in a grey ribbed sweater.

Ross's mother left the courtroom without offering comment.

The incident is the latest in what some say is a growing plague of street racing nationwide.

Last year, a pedestrian in Edmonton was killed when one of two racing Corvettes spun out of control and hit the woman from behind. The incident prompted provincial politicians to pass legislation allowing police to seize vehicles for 24 hours in cases involving street racing.

Just days before the law came into effect, two men died when their vehicles collided in Calgary in an apparent street race.

In B.C., two men charged with killing an elderly woman during a race were committed to trial earlier this month.

The increase in street racing incidents across Canada prompted the former Liberal government to introduce legislation requiring judges to revoke the driver's licence of anyone convicted of street racing.

The bill failed to pass into law before the government fell last November.

i think this is fuckin stupid...if it was sitting on the front seat of the car they weren't playing it...i dunno, did the COVER inspire them to do it.....i think the rich kids felt like nothing bad could possibly happen to them..but they are ignorant to how life is...bad shit happens to everyone

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i wish u were tha taxi driver, werd

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R.I.P. EAZY-E

Fucking rich kids in their mercs...

Besides.. 140 kilometres an hour is pussy shit... I been well over 250 racing before on long straights in me mates car...

'twas a city street

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I can't get over how people blame the faults of humanity on games. Anyone who is susceptible enough to copy a game is equally susceptible to being a drug dealer, becoming a suicide bomber, or doing something they've read/heard/seen. If someone is stupid enough to misinterpret a game where it pretty much clearly states DON'T TRY THIS YOU STUPID ASSHOLE, YOU GET A BIT MORE THAN 10 BAD POINTS ON YOUR COP RECORD FOR RUNNING OVER PEDESTRIANS. Really, people are able to discern between reality and fantasy, and if they aren't, it's their own fault.

Fucking bullshit.

is this guy a fuckin moron?