Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty ImagesMiami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith is facing a lawsuit stemming from the car crash he was involved in earlier this month.
Per TMZ Sports, Alekxei Pino filed the lawsuit in Florida last week and is seeking unspecified damages in excess of $50,000.
The crash occurred on Feb. 6 a short time after the Heat’s 121-95 victory over the Orlando Magic. Highsmith was cited with careless and negligent driving by the Miami-Dade Police Department.
Per the crash report, Pino was in the road helping a woman with her disabled car when Highsmith approached while driving his vehicle at an estimated 45 mph in a 40 mph zone and he wasn’t able to stop his car when he noticed the disabled vehicle in the road.
Highsmith’s car crashed into the disabled vehicle and Pino, who was standing directly behind the vehicle. Pino was taken to a local hospital in critical condition and had a partial amputation of his right leg, in addition to suffering a fractured left leg and possible broken left arm.
Jerry Dianis, Highsmith’s agent, said his client had not consumed alcohol or drugs at the time of the crash.
TMZ previously noted the police report stated Highsmith may have been distracted by unknown circumstances.
Manuel Dobrinsky, Pino’s attorney, said in a statement obtained by TMZ his client is still in the hospital recovering with “a very long road of rehabilitation ahead of him.”
Highsmith is in his third season with the Heat after originally signing a 10-day contract with the club in December 2021. He has appeared in 40 games this season, including each of the last three before the All-Star break after sitting out a Feb. 7 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
Source : Bleacher Report