# Tapout's Mask, Killed in Wreck



## Hotrod (Oct 11, 2006)

Mask from Tapout was killed last night in a car accident. Kinda ironic, last night at that time I was picking up a fatality wreck on 1093.

http://mmajunkie.com/news/14232/tapouts-mask-killed-in-early-morning-auto-accident.mma








"Mask," one of the popular real-life characters from MMA apparel giant Tapout, died early this morning in a automobile accident in California.

Mask, who's real name is Charles Lewis Jr., died when his red Ferrari Modena crashed into a utility pole in Newport Beach at approximately 1 a.m. local time.

The driver of a second car, an older-model white Porsche that is believed to have been traveling at a high rate of speed next to Lewis' car, has been arrested on gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, a Newport Beach Police Department representative told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

Lt. Craig Fox of the Newport Beach Police Department could not confirm the identity of the deceased male until the Orange County Sheriff's Department notifies next of kin. However, sources close to Lewis told MMAjunkie.com he was the one who died in the accident.

Lt. Fox said it's not known if either the male occupant (Lewis) or a female companion was driving the Ferrari. After the Ferrari hit a curb and smashed into the pole, the female was ejected from the car and was transferred to the Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, where she remains in stable condition, according to Lt. Fox.

Lewis was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to Fox, a Newport Beach Police officer was on patrol in the area and witnessed both the Ferrari and the Porsche "spinning out of control on Jamboree Road between Bison Avenue and East Bluff Drive."

"It was damaged very badly," Fox said of the Ferrari, which nearly split into two pieces. "The male was pronounced dead at the scene."

The Porsche initially fled the scene, but police soon located the damaged car a few blocks from where the Ferrari crashed.

"The damage appeared related to the accident (on Jamboree Road)," Fox said.

Leaving the Porsche were 51-year-old Jeffrey David Kirby of Costa Mesa and 32-year-old Lynn Marie Nabozny of Newport Beach, who were both detained.

"Through their investigation, [police officers] were able to determine the male was the driver of the Porsche," Lt. Fox said. "He was arrested for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. He was booked ... on a $1 million bail."

Nabozny was arrested for public intoxication and later released.

"There were skid marks found at the scene," said Lt. Fox, who confirmed investigators were still sifting through the crash scene as of noon PST today. "It appears there were maybe high rates of speed involved, but they don't know what led up to the collision. The officer (who witnessed the crash) didn't see that. He barely saw the after effects of what appears to be the possible collision."

Lewis will be remembered as one of MMA's first and true entrepreneurs.

Lewis founded Tapout Clothing Inc. in 1997 with a trunk full of T-shirts and a few thousand dollars of start-up money. Over the past decade, he and his partners have made the company the biggest apparel success story in MMA.

Tapout, which grossed just $30,000 in sales in 1999, pushed that number to more than $100 million in 2008 alone. The company now has licensed retailers (including the likes of Dillard's and Champs) around the world.

A longtime comic-book fan, Lewis and his colleagues, "Punkass" and "Skyscrape," went the make-up-and-costume route soon after launching the company from a San Bernardino apartment. The costumes, grassroots-marketing efforts and an often-praised work ethic made the crew celebrities in their own right.

When not hosting their own TV show on Versus to spotlight up-and-coming fighters, the Tapout members could often be found cageside at major MMA events, including the UFC, which the company sponsors.

* * * * ​
UPDATE (March 11, 6:30 p.m. EST): Tapout on Wednesday released the following statement: "It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we must regretfully confirm the passing of our beloved friend, brother and co-founder Charles 'Mask' Lewis following a car accident that occurred last night. We are currently in the process of setting up a memorial service in his honor and will release more details as they become available.

"Many thanks to all for the outpouring of blessings and well-wishes during this incredibly difficult time."


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## Zork (Jan 11, 2006)

man...what a shame


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## Won Hunglo (Apr 24, 2007)

Killed why street racing. At least he did not take an innocent person with him.


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## Fish-a-mon (May 21, 2004)

Sad for sure Prayers to his family. But to tell you the truth, i think the Tapout guys were flakes.


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## d hop (Aug 12, 2004)

I get such a kick out of watching a UFC fight somewhere and counting the number of fat, out of shape guys ranging from 19-35 walking around in a TAPOUT shirt that's obviously one size to small.


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## d hop (Aug 12, 2004)

Oh, and I forgot to mention they always have a bad case of ILS. " Imaginary Lat Syndrome".


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## kdubya (Jun 27, 2005)

.


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## bigsplash (Jun 15, 2006)

d hop said:


> I get such a kick out of watching a UFC fight somewhere and counting the number of fat, out of shape guys ranging from 19-35 walking around in a TAPOUT shirt that's obviously one size to small.


I think that is the case with ANY sporting event, not just UFC. Ever been to a football game? Then need wider seats and a stricter dress code.


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## Long Pole (Jun 5, 2008)

Holy CHit!!!!


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## bzrk180 (Jan 7, 2008)

Fish-a-mon said:


> i think the Tapout guys were flakes.


Flakes who through determination and dedication were able to launch a multi million dollar enterprise from the trunk of a car with a box of t-shirts...

I think what they did (have done) as businessmen is pretty impressive myself.


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## Bozo (Jun 16, 2004)

bzrk180 said:


> Flakes who through determination and dedication were able to launch a multi million dollar enterprise from the trunk of a car with a box of t-shirts...
> 
> I think what they did (have done) as businessmen is pretty impressive myself.


Have I been in a cave? Never heard of Tapout.


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## 11andy11 (Aug 12, 2004)

holy cow, that car is toast.


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## CoastalSpecial (Mar 4, 2006)

Me too! I love how everyone thinks they're so tough because they watched a UFC fight.



d hop said:


> I get such a kick out of watching a UFC fight somewhere and counting the number of fat, out of shape guys ranging from 19-35 walking around in a TAPOUT shirt that's obviously one size to small.


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## Fish-a-mon (May 21, 2004)

BZRK, I did not say what they have done from a business standpoint. The guys to me are flakes. It really has to do with there attitude and the fact they really thought they were tough guys. They are no different than your Rap artist. they project the wrong image.


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## Hotrod (Oct 11, 2006)

bzrk180 said:


> Flakes who through determination and dedication were able to launch a multi million dollar enterprise from the trunk of a car with a box of t-shirts...
> 
> I think what they did (have done) as businessmen is pretty impressive myself.


What he said!


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## Drew_Smoke (May 21, 2004)

Hotrod said:


> Mask from Tapout was killed last night in a car accident. Kinda ironic, last night at that time I was picking up a fatality wreck on 1093.


Where at on 1093? It was a country road when I moved here. Getting out of Seven Meadows gets harder everyday.


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## goldie (Nov 17, 2008)

Gotta hand it to them, as they may appeared to dress and look odd. Man did they make money! and probably still will make $$ 

what a twist of fate, if he would have been obeying the law, all of this may not of happend


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## waterspout (May 21, 2004)

Holy shazam! that's all jacked up.. Although Mask wasn't a hero of mine,,, he made himself a big time player.. prayers out to his family and close friends.


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## Ernest (May 21, 2004)

Let's not speak ill of the dead. After all, there is a valuable lesson here. 











Buy the Porsche cause those F's lack the breaking and handling of a finely crafted German auto.


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## mastercylinder60 (Dec 18, 2005)

Bozo said:


> Have I been in a cave? Never heard of Tapout.


 don't feel bad. i've never heard of him, either.


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## Jay512 (Oct 17, 2005)

Bozo / MC, you didn't have to be in a cave, if you don't watch MMA, you probably would not know the guys of Tapout. I had heard of Tapout, before I knew of the owners. 

Bzrk180 was correct in saying that these crazy dressed and named guys started a clothing line out of the trunks of their car. Now Tapout sponsors basicly the whos who of MMA. I think that is very impressive.


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## fish'nchipper (Feb 8, 2006)

The unidentified female who was "ejected" and is now in stable condition has got to be one of the luckiest people on this earth. That car is toast, and for her to be ejected and stable now is nothing short of a miracle. I've seen wrecks half that bad with ejections, and the ejected occupants were nothing close to "stable."


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## Hotrod (Oct 11, 2006)

Angler2407 said:


> Where at on 1093? It was a country road when I moved here. Getting out of Seven Meadows gets harder everyday.


1093 @ Gaston, close to 99. 99 sucks to travel now.


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## Northsider (Feb 19, 2008)

Man that's a sad situation.


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## royboy42 (Apr 28, 2007)

thats a shame, I enjoyed theyre reality show and thought they were funny. Always sad with alcohol related deaths.


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## TripleGrip (Oct 18, 2007)

they helped a lot of young fighters get a start in the business using their money and connections.


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## Miles2Fish (Dec 2, 2008)

look past the make-up and crazy outfits and you'll find a business model anyone would be proud to model.....


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## deke (Oct 5, 2004)

bzrk180 said:


> Flakes who through determination and dedication were able to launch a multi million dollar enterprise from the trunk of a car with a box of t-shirts...
> 
> I think what they did (have done) as businessmen is pretty impressive myself.


Exactly. I have seen thier show, and I never saw him trying to "act tough" or have a bad attitude, he always defered to the fighter they were taking in and supporting. 
They dressed like that as a marketing tactic. I didn't get it either, and I have a degree in that,lol, but from a trunk of shirts to $100 million is sales in 10 years tells me he was one hell of a business and marketing man. He was the Phil Nike of the MMA world, and for that he impressed me. I wasn't always a MMA fan, but the last few years I have come around and like the sport, it's not football,lol, but it is entertaining. Prayers to his family.


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## Drew_Smoke (May 21, 2004)

Hotrod said:


> 1093 @ Gaston, close to 99. 99 sucks to travel now.


That's the entrance to my neighborhood. I have seen other wrecks there. I worry about my ol lady as she can't drive worth a krap anyway. Going out from here on Fry is a big jam.

They say eventaully the toll road will go by and there will be an overpass at Katy Gaston to u-turn under. It will be alot safer.


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## bzrk180 (Jan 7, 2008)

Fish-a-mon said:


> BZRK, I did not say what they have done from a business standpoint. The guys to me are flakes. It really has to do with there attitude and the fact they really thought they were tough guys. They are no different than your Rap artist. they project the wrong image.


I must have seen another group than you did. The guys I saw never portrayed themselves as "tough guys." They had a schtick they used to promote their business but they also promoted a bunch of young men who were on the wrong path into the MMA and did so with integrity and a sense of purpose.

Either way...A tragic thing...


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## huntr4life (Apr 30, 2007)

Wow, that vehicle is done, that had to be one heck of an impact to completely separate the vehicle. Sad story, I am sure that once the lady sees pictures of the car, she will be thanking her lucky stars, she is very lucky to be alive.


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## dwilliams35 (Oct 8, 2006)

Angler2407 said:


> Where at on 1093? It was a country road when I moved here. Getting out of Seven Meadows gets harder everyday.


Man, I haven't called that a country road since about ten years before they broke ground for Seven Meadows... Funny how different perspectives can be on stuff like that..


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