Raider sued over car crash
Arnette incident happened in ’20
About a month before Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs was involved in a fatal crash, his teammate Damon Arnette was sued by a woman who claims she was injured in a hit-and-run crash.
The lawsuit, which alleges negligence and seeks about $90,000 in damages, also names the team as a defendant. It was filed Oct. 5 in District Court.
Arnette’s crash occurred about a year earlier, according to the complaint.
The document states that it happened about 7:30 a.m. Oct. 14, 2020, on St. Rose Parkway and Bermuda Road, near Raiders headquarters.
“We’re aware of it, and certainly we’re aware of it today,” Raiders coach Rich Bisaccia said Friday. “I think it’s been pushed towards his lawyers and his attorneys and their team of people to handle that. I don’t think we can actually comment on it any further than that.”
Yaneth Coromoto Casique was northbound on Bermuda when her car was hit by Arnette’s SUV, which was turning right from St. Rose Parkway, according to the lawsuit, which alleges that Arnette was going at least 65 mph and lost control before impact.
The complaint also alleges that Arnette left the scene and that his friend claimed to be the driver.
Eventually, Arnette was “confronted” at the Raiders facility, and he admitted to the crash, according to the lawsuit. It was not immediately clear who confronted him.
Henderson police cited Arnette with failure to stop at the scene of a crash and improper lane change, both misdemeanors, Municipal Court records show. The misdemeanor case was closed
in September after Arnette pleaded guilty and paid a $1,140 fine.
The lawsuit alleges that the woman suffered injuries to her head, shoulder, neck and back and was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center.
One of Arnette’s attorneys, Richard Schonfeld, referred the Las Vegas Review-journal on Friday to a comment he gave TMZ, which states that Arnette denies the lawsuit’s allegations and looks forward to addressing them through the court process.
Previous lawsuit
Arnette also is facing another lawsuit in District Court.
On June 22, a valet employee at the Aria sued Arnette and accused him of attacking him in late May. Sonny Flores claims mental stress, anguish, pain and suffering and is seeking at least $15,000 in damages.
Flores alleges that Arnette berated him when he followed company policy by refusing to retrieve the football player’s car without a valet receipt.
Accompanied by an “entourage,” a “heavily intoxicated” Arnette returned later in the night and again directed obscenities toward Flores, according to the complaint, which also lists unidentified defendants.
That time, the complaint alleges, Arnette “spat” on Flores and repeatedly poked him on the chest.
Eventually, a woman who had accompanied Arnette retrieved the valet ticket from his hotel room, according to the lawsuit, which states that it was not clear if security at the resort had notified the Metropolitan Police Department. A search through Las Vegas Justice Court records did not show any criminal cases against Arnette.
Schonfeld directed the Review-journal to a counterclaim he filed, which describes the lawsuit as “frivolous” and alleges abuse of process.
The document alleges that Flores’ attorney sent Arnette a letter June 2 demanding a $500,000 settlement by June 23, a day after the lawsuit was filed. The letter also included an “improper threat” to contact Las Vegas police, the NFL and news media, according to the counterclaim.
Crash involving Ruggs
Ruggs, 22, posted bond and was released from jail Wednesday after making his initial court appearance in Las Vegas in connection with a fiery crash that killed a woman the previous day. He faces charges of DUI resulting in death and reckless driving.
The Raiders released Ruggs from the team Tuesday evening.
Earlier this year, another Raiders player, defensive back Kemah Siverand, was one of three people arrested in Texas after being accused of street racing in Houston.
According to Houston police, officers saw five vehicles racing Feb. 20 on the North Loop East. Police stopped three of the five drivers and arrested them.
Siverand initially stopped for officers but then drove another mile before stopping and being apprehended, police said. As a result, he is being charged with evading arrest, a felony.
Siverand is no longer with the Raiders.