Footage Of Venus Williams Car Accident Causes Police To Retract At Fault Statement: The Two-Way: NPR
Police Take 2nd Look At Venus Williams’ Car Accident With Fresh Footage
After a win on the opening day of Wimbledon, Venus Williams broke into tears when asked about her June nine car accident that resulted in a passenger death. Tim Ireland/AP hide caption
After a win on the opening day of Wimbledon, Venus Williams broke into tears when asked about her June nine car accident that resulted in a passenger death.
After reviewing footage from a nearby security camera, police in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., have rescinded their original statement that Venus Williams was at fault for a June nine car crash that led to the death of the passenger in the other vehicle.
A police department statement says investigators had located fresh movie evidence, “surveillance footage . obtained from a community south of the intersection which recorded the traffic crash.”
The Associated Press describes what they found:
The Two-Way
Florida Police Blame Tennis Starlet Venus Williams For Fatal Car Accident
“Williams legally entered an intersection but was cut off by another car, setting off a chain of events that seconds later resulted in a fatal crash with a third car, police say movie released Friday shows.
“The movie, taken by a security camera, shows Williams heading north as she stops her two thousand ten Toyota Sequoia SUV at a stoplight behind a white car as she exits her Palm Beach Gardens neighborhood shortly after one p.m. June 9.
“When the light turns green, the white car turns left onto a six-lane, strenuously traveled boulevard, but Williams goes straight. A dark colored sedan turns left in front of her, causing her to stop.
“She then proceeds straight into the far, westbound lanes, where her SUV is struck in the passenger’s side by a two thousand sixteen Hyundai sedan driven by Linda Barson.”
Barson’s spouse Jerome, 78, was injured in the crash and died two weeks later on June 22. His estate has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Williams, 37, and is seeking unspecified damages, according to The Associated Press.
Williams posted on Facebook on June thirty about the accident and voiced her sorrow telling, “I am devasted [sic] and heartbroken by this accident. My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Jerome Barson and I proceed to keep them in my thoughts and prayers.”
Since the release of the footage on Friday, Palm Beach Gardens police spokesman Maj. Paul Rogers has said blame has not yet been determined.
Williams, 37, reached the fourth round at Wimbledon on Friday after hitting 19-year-old Naomi Osaka of Japan. The tennis player became tearful and left a press conference on Monday when asked about the crash.
Footage Of Venus Williams Car Accident Causes Police To Retract At Fault Statement: The Two-Way: NPR
Police Take 2nd Look At Venus Williams’ Car Accident With Fresh Footage
After a win on the opening day of Wimbledon, Venus Williams broke into tears when asked about her June nine car accident that resulted in a passenger death. Tim Ireland/AP hide caption
After a win on the opening day of Wimbledon, Venus Williams broke into tears when asked about her June nine car accident that resulted in a passenger death.
After reviewing footage from a nearby security camera, police in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., have rescinded their original statement that Venus Williams was at fault for a June nine car crash that led to the death of the passenger in the other vehicle.
A police department statement says investigators had located fresh movie evidence, “surveillance footage . obtained from a community south of the intersection which recorded the traffic crash.”
The Associated Press describes what they found:
The Two-Way
Florida Police Blame Tennis Starlet Venus Williams For Fatal Car Accident
“Williams legally entered an intersection but was cut off by another car, setting off a chain of events that seconds later resulted in a fatal crash with a third car, police say movie released Friday shows.
“The movie, taken by a security camera, shows Williams heading north as she stops her two thousand ten Toyota Sequoia SUV at a stoplight behind a white car as she exits her Palm Beach Gardens neighborhood shortly after one p.m. June 9.
“When the light turns green, the white car turns left onto a six-lane, strongly traveled boulevard, but Williams goes straight. A dark colored sedan turns left in front of her, causing her to stop.
“She then proceeds straight into the far, westbound lanes, where her SUV is struck in the passenger’s side by a two thousand sixteen Hyundai sedan driven by Linda Barson.”
Barson’s spouse Jerome, 78, was injured in the crash and died two weeks later on June 22. His estate has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Williams, 37, and is seeking unspecified damages, according to The Associated Press.
Williams posted on Facebook on June thirty about the accident and voiced her sorrow telling, “I am devasted [sic] and heartbroken by this accident. My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Jerome Barson and I proceed to keep them in my thoughts and prayers.”
Since the release of the footage on Friday, Palm Beach Gardens police spokesman Maj. Paul Rogers has said blame has not yet been determined.
Williams, 37, reached the fourth round at Wimbledon on Friday after hammering 19-year-old Naomi Osaka of Japan. The tennis player became tearful and left a press conference on Monday when asked about the crash.