*Hours after reports of Venus Williams being blamed for a car crash that killed a 78-year-old man, the victim’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the tennis star, claiming her violation of traffic laws led directly to his death.
On June 9, Williams’ SUV was in the intersection in Palm Beach County headed northbound when it was T-boned by the victim’s Hyundai driving westbound. According to the police report, Williams was to blame for the fatal collision.
According to the lawsuit obtained by TMZ Sports, Williams failed to yield the right of way, ran a red light and drove too fast while distracted, recklessly creating a situation where the accident was unavoidable.
As previously reported, Venus’ rep released a statement late Thursday claiming she was only going 5 MPH and entered the intersection on a green light.
Passenger Jerome Barson, 78, died from his injuries 14 days after the accident. His wife, Linda, who was driving the Hyundai, was severely injured. According to the suit, the impact was so severe their car was “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.”
The Barsons were married for more than 33 years, and Linda watched her husband die on her 68th birthday, according to the suit filed by the estate’s attorney, Michael Steinger.
The estate seeks unspecified damages for loss of companionship for both Linda and their family, loss of earnings, pain and suffering, and medical and funeral expenses.
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