Charles Lewis, Mask of TapouT, Dies

By Michael David Smith - Lead Blogger

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Multiple MMA sources say that Charles Lewis, better known as Mask, the man behind the MMA clothing line TapouT, died early Wednesday morning in a car crash in Newport Beach, California.

Mask was reportedly driving his red Ferrari around 1 a.m. when he collided with a Porsche, hit a curb and hit a light pole. He was pronounced dead at the scene, and his passenger was hospitalized with unspecified injuries. KTLA News reported that the impact of the crash broke the Ferrari into two pieces.

Police said the Porsche came to a brief stop and then sped away. The Los Angeles Times reports that the driver of the Porsche, Jeffrey David Kirby, was later apprehended and charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. His bail was set at $1 million.

Although there has been no official confirmation from either the police or TapouT that Mask was the man who died, several sources in the MMA world have said Mask died, and multiple MMA web sites are reporting it. Mask's friends and family are in the thoughts of everyone in the MMA community today.

UPDATE: TapouT has confirmed the death of Lewis.

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