BRITNEY MALONEY
News Assistant
The owner of the Ferrari Enzo that crashed on Pacific Coast Highway in February was arrested Saturday after police investigated his Bel-Air home on suspicion of grand theft.
Stefan Erikkson, a 44-year-old Swedish video game executive, is being held without bail in Los Angeles at the Men’s Central Jail. Los Angeles County Sheriff Department spokesman Steve Whitmore confirmed that a lengthy investigation is underway.
“However, this is just the beginning of the investigation,” Whitmore said.
Police searched Erikkson’s home and found another black Enzo and a custom Mercedes. Deputies with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department allege that the collection, including the wrecked Ferrari, belong to British financial institutions and not to Erikkson.
Whitmore also confirmed that, in addition to the cars, detectives who searched Erikkson’s home seized computers, a firearm and a substance believed to be cocaine.
The February crash in Malibu received national attention because the car, valued at $1 million, was one of only 400 ever produced.
Authorities estimate that the Enzo was traveling at more than 160 mph before it crashed into a pole. Erikkson survived with only a cut lip. He claims that he was not the driver and that a man named Dietrich was behind the wheel. By the time authorities arrived at the scene of the crash, Dietrich had apparently fled to the nearby hills.
Sheriff deputies launched a search to find Dietrich but were unable to locate him.
A blood-alcohol test on Eriksson at the time of the crash showed him to be above the legal limit for driving in California, so he could face several other charges if he is found to be the driver.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has now placed an immigration hold on Erikkson, so if he is released from the Men’s Central Jail, the agency will be able to take him into custody.
According to published reports, last year the cars were purchased in England. Erikkson supposedly moved the cars to Los Angeles when he relocated there. The financial institutions are claiming that Erikkson stopped making payments for his exotic car collection.
Eriksson worked as an executive for a European video game company named Gizmondo. The company filed for bankruptcy earlier this year with more than $200 million in debt. According to published reports, Erikkson was convicted of counterfeiting and served prison time in the early 1990s.
In March police seized Erikkson’s Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, worth $600,000, when his wife was stopped by police in Beverly Hills on suspicion of driving without a license. London’s Scotland Yard had reported that the cars were stolen.
Sophomore Joey Kennedy expressed concern about the accident.
“I am just thankful that the guy didn’t hurt anybody when the car crashed,” Kennedy said. “Sometimes I am out on that part of the road at the time he crashed. It could’ve been a lot worse.”
Eriksson’s attorney could not be reached for comment. Detectives over the weekend spent more than six hours searching his home in the posh Bel-Air Crest gated community.
Freshman Pam Wolhaupter said that she is relieved Erikkson was arrested.
“He should’ve been prosecuted before this incident,” Wolhaupter said. “Because of the extreme danger he created in his auto accident. I hope the police get to the bottom of this and regardless of what happens, Erikkson should get into trouble because of the accident.”
04-13-2006