TapouT Founder "Mask" Killed
by Robert Sargent
The mixed martial arts community has suffered a great loss, as Charles "Mask" Lewis, one of the founders of the thriving TapouT clothing line, died in a car crash early Wednesday morning in Newport Beach, California. Lewis was 45 years old.
One of the most universally liked and respected individuals in the industry, Lewis grew the TapouT brand from a grass-roots company to a hugely successful entity.
The Orange County Coroner's Office has stated that Lewis was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which involved his red Ferrari and a white Porsche. Lewis's girlfriend, Lacey Lynn White, 23, was ejected from the car during the crash and was rushed to hospital. She remains in critical but stable condition, but is expected to survive.
While the cars were travelling in the same direction, street racing is not suspected in the crash, which culminated with both cars spinning out of control. Observers witnessed the Porsche stop at the scene before speeding away. Police found the Porsche parked a few minutes away, with two individuals walking away from the vehicle. One individual, determined to be the driver, has been identified as Jeffrey D. Kirby, 51, of Costa Mesa, California.
Kirby, who had previously been convicted for driving while under the influence, has since been charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. His female companion was charged with public intoxication. Reports have stated that Kirby's bail has been set at between $1 and $2 million dollars. He will be arraigned on Friday.
Lewis, along with partners Dan "Punkass" Caldwell and Timothy "Skyskrape" Katz, developed the TapouT clothing line into the most successful of all in the mixed martial arts industry. Originally a grass-roots operation that began with Lewis and Caldwell selling t-shirts out of the back of their car at regional events, partnerships with many of the top MMA promotions in North America allowed the fledgling company to grow into a world-renowned juggernaut.
The loss of Lewis is a tremendous blow to the mixed martial arts community, and one would be hard-pressed to find anyone who had anything bad to say about the man more commonly known as "Mask."
The group started the "TapouT" reality show in 2007, which saw the trio travel all across the United States to find future stars to sponsor and work with. True lovers of the sport, it was obvious that all three cared deeply about the success of the fighters that they worked with.
Lewis, who is survived by one brother, will be sorely missed.
