Venus Williams will not be charged in Florida fatal accident -report
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Reuters) - Tennis star Venus Williams will not face any criminal charges in relation to a June fatal traffic accident she was involved in near her Florida residence, the Sun-Sentinel newspaper reported on Wednesday, quoting police.
The driver of a car that struck Williams’ SUV in an intersection was also not charged, after Palm Beach Gardens police determined that neither violated the right-of-way, the newspaper reported. Palm Beach Gardens police and city clerk did not immediately respond to inquiries.
Police had initially said Williams was to blame for failing to yield the right-ofway.
But by July, Palm Beach Gardens police said video evidence had surfaced that showed that Williams entered the intersection lawfully, and that a car not involved in the collision forced Williams to stop in the intersection. The traffic light changed, and a sedan that struck Williams’ SUV had a green light.
Jerome Barson, 78, who was a passenger in a sedan that collided with the SUV Williams was driving, died 13 days after the June 9 accident. His wife, Linda Barson, 68, was driving the sedan.
The Barson family has filed a wrongful death suit against Williams. Calls to attorneys for both parties were not immediately returned on Wednesday evening.