Why does Scott call Owl Eyes a criminal when he crashes the car?

On page 54, Owl Eyes is referred to as “the criminal” as he is trying to explain to the crowd what happened when his car crashed. This reference accomplishes two things. First, the use of this term shows that the whole assembled crowd sees Owl Eyes as the guilty party. When the car first went off the driveway, it apparently only attracted the attention of a few curious chauffeurs (53). By the time this conversation is at an end and Owl Eyes has pointed out that he was not the driver, there is a whole crowd there to witness the scene, and they all assume that Owl Eyes is guilty. Everyone sees him as the criminal, though we soon find out that he was not the driver. This reinforces the theme, seen throughout The Great Gatsby, that things are not always as they seem.
Secondly, Fitzgerald's use of the term “criminal” begins the connection between cars and danger. There are a number of instances in which driving is associated with illegal or dangerous behavior, in addition to this use of the term “criminal.” At the end of chapter three, Daisy is driving and nearly hits a workman on the side of the road. Nick scolds her for not being careful, but Daisy responds by saying that other people will "keep out of my way," noting that it "takes two to make an accident” (58). She is wrong, as the Owl Eyes incident proves, and this develops the idea that cars and illegal behavior go together in The Great Gatsby.