Two north Fulton County cousins critically injured in a fiery Ferrari crash remained in the Grady Memorial Hospital burn unit Saturday.
The owner and driver of the red Ferrari F430, Akshay Panducherry, 18, of Alpharetta, was burned over 80 percent of his body. Also seriously burned was a passenger, Harshavardhan Patlolla, 21, of Alpharetta. Relatives identified the two men as cousins, according to Channel 2 Action News.
The Italian sports car was a birthday gift Panducherry had received from his father a week ago, according to Channel 2.
The accident occurred early Friday on Webb Bridge Road in north Fulton near Alpharetta High School. Police found the car about 60 yards into a wood line, fully engulfed.
Police spokesman George Gordon told the AJC that Panducherry and Patlolla crawled out of the car after the crash but sustained significant injuries.
“We know that a high rate of speed was a contributing factor in this crash,” Gordon said. The F430, which was manufactured from 2004 to 2009, has an estimated top speed near 200 mph, according to Road & Track magazine. Police, however, have not said how fast Panducherry may have been driving.
The car was traveling eastbound on Webb Bridge Road just before 4 a.m. when the crash occurred. Gordon told news media the driver narrowly missed a bridge abutment while leaving the roadway.
“The vehicle itself is totally destroyed,” Gordon said Friday. “It went completely up in flames and it basically is not recognizable as a vehicle at this point.”
Efforts were being made Saturday to reach police on the investigation.
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