The rise, and fall of Orenthal James "O.J." Simpson, was such that not many could truly understand what he did and why he did it. Once the most revered of sports figures of NFL, he won the Heisman Trophy in 1968 at USC before turning into a Hall Of Famer, breaking records during his time with the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers.
Post-retirement came movies, in particular, the Naked Gun franchise. And yet, that white Ford Bronco chase changed it all and people got to know that Simpson harbored a dark side, something he denies to date, especially since he was not convicted (for that crime).
When the murders of Simpson's wife Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman were discovered, he became an instant suspect, and it was that white Ford Bronco chase that changed the public's perception of him. Even if it wasn't enough for a conviction.
Here's is what we could find about that white Ford Bronco O.J. Simpson was apprehended from and the details are titillating as ever...
10 The Craziest Night In American History
When the bodies of the Simpson’s wife Nicole Brown and her friend, Ron Goldman were discovered, the first suspect on the list was the husband, O.J. Simpson. Initially, he was one of the most compliant witnesses ever but things changed when the police wanted him to turn himself in. Simpson was a no show.
Declared a fugitive, he was later spotted at 6:45 on the evening of June 17, 1994, in a white Ford Bronco on the expressway, driven by his best friend and former teammate, Al Cowlings.
9 The Slowest Car Chase Ever
Calling it a car chase is a bit of a stretch because this was no high-speed getaway. Most still don’t know what Simpson was trying to do, considering when the first police officer caught up to the car, it was doing just 35 mph.
When Cowlings yelled that Simpson was holding a gun to his own head, the officer backed off and continued to follow at the same slow speed, followed by a cavalcade of 20 police cars, later joined in by helicopters as well.
8 Millions Tuned In For The “Manhunt”
According to a 2012 survey by Nielsen and Sony, the Simpson verdict in which he was exonerated, was the third most impactful televised moment, behind the 9/11 attacks as well as Hurricane Katrina.
But before the verdict, the car chase in itself had created a furor and was watched by 95 million viewers in the US. In the same survey, it came in sixth, further behind the Challenger space shuttle disaster and Osama Bin Laden’s death.
7 And Yet, Simpson Denied “Running”
According to Simpson, this was not him trying to run or evade the law in the Bronco. When he did not show up on the designated date for questioning, the very next day his lawyer, Robert Kardashian (of the Kardashians fame) read out a message that was perceived by many as a suicide note.
And yet, when Simpson finally exited that White Ford Bronco, he had a gun as well as a fake mustache and goatee, along with applying adhesive. These and the $9,000 in cash hinted at a disguised getaway.
6 This Famous White Ford Bronco Was Not O.J.’s
Many assume that the notorious white Ford Bronco involved in the chase was O.J.’s because he owned one. The truth is, the car involved in the chase was Al Cowlings' Bronco, the same 1993 model. Of course, along with a Bronco, O. J. Simpson had a fleet of cars in his garage.
Al Cowlings was not only Simpson’s best friend, he was also his former teammate and confidante so its guesswork that he was ready to help out a friend in need. Even if that involved being on a televised car chase that has permanently changed the way people look at a white Ford Bronco, period.
5 That Bronco Has Changed Hands
Cowlings wanted to get rid of the car soon after the much-publicized event. When someone approached him with an offer of $75,000 he agreed but rescinded once he got to know that the car would be used to drive people to visit Nicole Brown’s cave as a gory twist on tourism.
Simpsons’ agent Mike Gilbert and two others pitched and bought the car from Cowlings for the same amount. For 17 years, it remained parked in Gilbert’s garage. Today, this car on display at the Alcatraz East Crime Museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
4 The ‘Gas’ In It Is Still Being Kept For Posterity
Mike Gilbert says he will sell the vehicle the day gets more than a million for it. Till then, it's being displayed at the Alcatraz East Crime Museum on a lease, kept next to an exhibit of Nicole Brown-Simpson, to increase awareness about domestic abuse and its dangers.
Of course, there is still the matter of the original gas in the white Ford Bronco because when it comes to memorabilia, people will pay for just about anything. Gilbert is keeping the original gas safe and sound with him, along with the original tires and vehicle registration papers. Since the incident, only 20 more miles have been clocked on the odometer, as told to ESPN.
3 So What Happened To O.J. Simpson’s Bronco?
Simpson did own a white Ford Bronco, though most incorrectly assumed it was his car that he was finally apprehended from. O.J.'s white Ford Bronco was parked in the house all along, and there were blood spatters and smears on the insides.
The console, the door, steering wheel, and carpeting all held “key evidence” and the car was taken into custody by law enforcement. After his eventual exoneration, the Bronco was destroyed. Ironically, the white Ford Bronco that spawned hundred of memes about O.J., was never really his.
2 Did This Chase Impact Bronco Sales?
According to various media reports, post this car chase, the sales of the Ford Bronco did go up. In 1994, 37,000 Broncos were sold, 7,000 more than the sales figures of the year before. Infamy can also be profitable.
But while this sale boost did give Bronco a breather, its days were up, and by 1996, sales dropped down to 28,000. The Bronco was out soon after, even if white Ford Bronco jokes still rule the Internet, more so ever since the Ford Bronco has been re-released in a new avatar.
1 The 2021 Ford Bronco And A Coincidental Date
Initially, the all-new Ford Bronco that looks unbeatable, was planned to be released on July 9. This was the date O.J. Simpson, the man who made white Ford Broncos infamous, turned 73. To release a Bronco on O.J.’s birthday sounded too much of a coincidence, especially since O.J. was Ford’s spokesperson till the day of that car chase.
While Ford vociferously denied any such “planning” and called it a marketable coincidence, they did change the date of the launch to July 13th to avoid even more infamy. But the Bronco and O.J. Simpson remain irrevocably intertwined.