Former NASCAR driver allegedly tried to solicit 12-year-old
A five-time winner on the NASCAR Truck Series circuit is being held in a Florida jail after he was arrested and charged with trying to entice a minor into having sex.
Rick Crawford, 59, was arrested Thursday in Lake Mary, Florida.
Crawford competed in the truck series from 1997-2012. He notched five victories and was second overall in the season standings for 2002.
According to USA Today, court documents allege Crawford responded to an advertisement on Craigslist in early February that offered a “taboo experience.”
The ad, placed by an undercover law enforcement agent, claimed to be from a man seeking to pimp out young girls, including his 12-year-old daughter.
The agent eventually told Crawford he could pay to have sex with the 12-year-old. Crawford also allegedly requested and was sent photos of the girl he believed he would be meeting.
Crawford and the undercover agent negotiated for several weeks to arrange a time and place to meet, as well as how much money Crawford would pay for the encounter.
Crawford eventually agreed to pay between $50 and $75, and said he would meet the man and girl in a parking lot near an interstate highway, court records show.
When Crawford arrived at the parking lot, he was immediately taken into custody.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, Crawford told authorities after his arrest that he “found it hard to believe” a 12-year-old would be involved in the meeting and said he wouldn’t have followed through if the girl was underage.
Crawford is being held in the Seminole County jail with no bond.
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After his career in NASCAR, Crawford returned to his hometown of Mobile, Alabama, and was the manager and promoter of the Mobile International Raceway for two years.
Members of the racing community in Mobile were shocked to hear of Crawford’s arrest.
NASCAR promoter Tommy Praytor, who said he’s worked with Crawford for more than 20 years, said Crawford’s arrest is devastating.
“What came to light over the weekend is just horrible. There’s just no other way to put it,” Praytor told WALA-TV in Mobile.
“Fifty-nine years of good work and doing the right thing and helping people all went up in smoke in a matter of minutes,” he added.
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