Instructor recounts terrifying 200 mph crash
Originally Published: 05 FEB 26 12:55 ET
By Roland Beres
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BOISE, Idaho (KIVI) -- Ron Martinez crashed his Porsche during a speed run at the annual Tour De Force event outside Sun Valley in 2024.
The fact that Martinez is alive — much less practicing martial arts at a high level — is remarkable.
We spoke with Martinez at his gym, Boise Cities Krav Maga, about the crash and what happened that day.
We watched Martinez teach and practice Krav Maga, and it is hard to imagine that he and his nephew survived the unthinkable less than 2 years ago.
“We’re the only people to survive a 200-plus mile per hour crash in a convertible with the top down,” Martinez said.
The convertible was a 9-11 Turbo S, which can go 0-60 in just over 2 seconds.
Martinez had participated in the annual charity speed run three times before. His fourth run, however, ended in disaster.
“That year the road was pretty bumpy," explains Martinez, "and one of the tires on the Porsche turbos came off and I flipped 14 times, going 200 mph with my nephew, Zach.”
Both he and Zach are nearly back to normal now.
Martinez just had another surgery on his hand, and his right forearm is missing a chunk of flesh, but considering he broke 54 bones, collapsed both lungs, and had a brain bleed, lucky is hardly adequate to describe his survival.
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