A Tragedy at Tapout

Charles “Mask” Lewis, founder and mouthpiece for the Tapout clothing line and a personality on the Versus reality show of the same name, was killed in a car crash this week in Newport Beach, Calif.

Notes of “R.I.P” were blanketing the MMA blogosphere soon after the news began to spread. Lewis, 45, was in a car that struck a cement pole and split in half around 1 a.m. on Wednesday. Jeffrey Kirby, 51, of Costa Mesa, Calif., was driving in his Porsche in the same direction as Lewis’ Ferrari prior to the crash. He was arrested and later charged with two felony counts, including vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. Kirby’s arraignment was continued to March 27 at the defense’s request, with his bail re-set from $2 million to $500,000 upon condition that Kirby cannot drive or drink alcohol.

A female passenger in Lewis’ car, identified as his 23-year-old girlfriend Lacy Lynn White, is in critical but stable condition, according to a report on Sherdog.com.

Lewis, known for his face paint, tall hat and high-pitched laugh, was the driving force behind a unique success story. Tapout, launched in 1997, famously began with Lewis and his two compatriots, “Punkass” and “Skyscrape,” selling t-shirts out of car trunks and building a multi-million brand and television franchise out of it. Before Tapout took off, Lewis worked as a San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy.

A roadside memorial has been set up near the crash site, which includes candles, pictures, a stuffed animal sporting a Tapout shirt, and a black Tapout flag.