Venus Williams Not Charged In Car Crash That Killed A Man
Venus Williams wasn’t charged in the June 9 traffic crash that led the death of retired teacher Jerome Barson because the lead police investigator wasn’t comfortable issuing a citation in cases where he isn’t “100 percent sure.”
Police body cam video released late Thursday shows Palm Beach Gardens Police Department investigator David Dowling explaining to the 39-year-old women’s tennis star that, though she likely caused the crash, he wasn’t going to cite her because of the “bad situation” she was put in by another driver. That bad situation occurred when Williams was forced to slam on the brakes in the middle of a six-lane intersection after being cut off by another driver. By the time Williams was able to start moving again, her traffic light had already turned red, but finding herself unable to back up and needing to get out of the middle of the road, she moved forward.
Security video of the tragic scene show the Hyundai compact sedan driven by Barson’s wife, Linda, plowing into the side of Williams’ Toyota SUV almost immediately afterward. Jerome Barson, 78, was conscious but bleeding and disoriented after the crash, and it was later determined that he had suffered a broken spine and several internal injuries, while Linda Barson’s arm was broken. Barson succumbed to his injuries on June 22, but Williams went on to compete at Wimbledon, falling to Spain’s Garbine Muguruza in their July 15 match.
The Palm Beach Police Department is still investigating the incident, and no fault has been issued as of yet. Nevertheless, Linda Barson has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Williams, who broke down in tears after being asked about the crash by a reporter at Wimbledon.
The Barson estate is seeking unspecified damages in the suit, and the family’s attorney, Michael Steinger has already put in a request for Williams’ cell phone records as he suspects she may have been sending text messages at the time of the crash. Williams’ lawyers have made claims of their own, contending that the Barsons’ injuries were exacerbated by them not wearing seat belts (though so far the Palm Beach Gardens PD investigators disagree with that assessment). Further, Williams’ legal team is asserting that the Barsons’ vehicle was not properly maintained and that Jerome Barson may even have had pre-existing medical conditions that led to his death after the crash.
All the back-and-forth between the two parties’ attorneys has served to do little at this point other than fuel an ongoing internet feud between Williams’ supporters and her detractors. The former group has lined up behind her, believing Williams was the victim of circumstances – a view apparently shared by the lead investigator on the scene of the crash – while the latter group has chalked this up to another instance of a rich celebrity athlete trying to avoid consequences for their actions.
More details on the case are forthcoming from BestUSASportsbooks.com.