Venus Williams is accused of violating several traffic laws, triggering a car crash resulting in the death of a 78-year-old man, according to a wrongful death suit obtained Friday by TMZ Sports.
The suit, which was filed by the victims’ attorney, Michael Steinger, claims Williams, 37, did not yield the right of way June 9 while driving in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., speeding distractedly through a red traffic light. The docs note the impact of the crash was so intense, it left the elderly couple’s car “crushed, the front windshield shattered, the airbags deployed, there was crush damage to the rear on the driver’s side, and the back window was shattered.”
Jerome Barson, the passenger in the vehicle, suffered a fractured spine, internal bleeding and head trauma as a result, according to the suit. He succumbed to his injuries two weeks after the crash on June 22, his wife Linda’s 68th birthday. His spouse, who was driving their Hyundai at the time of the wreck, was hospitalized with broken bones and a cracked sternum.
The family is seeking an unspecified amount in the lawsuit, which includes the loss of earnings, medical and funeral fees, as well as pain and suffering.
Williams’ attorney, Malcolm Cunningham, issued a statement to the gossip site Thursday.
“Ms. Williams entered the intersection on a green light,” he said. “The police report estimates that Ms. Williams was traveling at 5 mph when Mrs. Barson crashed into her. Authorities did not issue Ms. Williams with any citations or traffic violations.”
Source: New York Post