A man was killed on Wednesday, September 17, while unloading the iconic Andy Warhol–painted BMW on the National Mall, according to D.C. police. The incident happened ahead of the Hagerty Foundation’s “Cars at the Capitol” pop-up exhibit. Following the accident, all remaining events scheduled for the week have been canceled.
As reported by The Washington Post, paramedics responded to a call for “a man trapped under a vehicle." Upon arrival, officials found the man “suffering critical injuries. Despite lifesaving efforts from medics, he was pronounced dead.”
The vehicle, featuring a custom paint job by American pop artist Andy Warhol, was recently added to the National Historic Vehicle Registry. The historic car debuted in 1979 as the fourth entry in BMW’s Art Car series. After police completed their investigation, the M1 was reloaded and taken from the scene late last night. The incident is currently being handled as a workplace accident.
Car enthusiasts and Warhol fans alike have been expressing their condolences since hearing the news of the tragic accident.
On Reddit, one person said, "This is truly awful news. A horrible accident. My thoughts go out to the delivery driver's family and loved ones." Someone else commented, "That’s just heartbreaking. A legendary car tied to Andy Warhol, and the story ends with someone losing their life unloading it. Really puts things into perspective — at the end of the day, cars are just machines, people’s lives matter so much more."
Another person mentioned being in the area during the scene, saying, "Oh god, so that's why there were all of those emergency response teams around the National Mall yesterday. Incredibly tragic."
Warhol was the first artist in the Art Cars project to paint directly onto the car himself. He completed the bold, brushy design in just 23 minutes, aiming to capture the feeling of speed and motion. Unlike other art cars, Warhol’s actually raced—finishing 6th in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Warhol M1 is now one of the most famous pieces in the BMW Art Car collection.