Tennis superstar Venus accused of killing elderly man, 78, in car smash
VENUS Williams has been blamed for a car crash which left an elderly man dead.
The tennis star was trying to get across a junction when she was hit from the side by another car.
Jerome Barson, 78, was a passenger being driven by his wife and suffered serious head injuries.
He was taken to hospital but died two weeks later on June 23.
The crash happened on June 9 and a police report said that Ms Williams was ‘at fault for violating the right of way of [the other driver]’.
A spokesman for the Barson family told the Daily Mail: ‘The amount of pain the family is feeling right now is enormous.’
‘Darted into intersection’
Ms Williams, 37, is due to compete at Wimbledon next week where she is the tenth seed.
It is not clear if she suffered any injuries. Citing a police report, showbusiness website TMZ reported that the seven-times Grand Slam winner was involved in the accident in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Mr Barson’s wife said that Ms Williams’ SUV ‘suddenly darted’ into the intersection and there was no time to stop before she crashed into the side of the tennis star’s vehicle.
TMZ said that Ms Williams told police she was trying to get across the intersection but traffic was backed up and she had to slow down to a crawl, leaving her caught in the middle.
Mr Barson was taken to the intensive care unit but died two weeks later. His wife was brought to hospital with broken bones and other injuries but survived.
A diagram on the police report shows Ms Williams’ car in the middle of the intersection with the Barsons’ vehicle hitting its side.
Police say there was no evidence Ms Williams was under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or that she was distracted by a mobile phone.
Ms Williams’ lawyer, Malcolm Cunningham, said in a statement: ‘This is an unfortunate accident and Venus expresses her deepest condolences to the family who lost a loved one.’
He added that Ms Williams had entered an intersection while the light was green and was going 5mph when the other vehicle crashed into hers. He said Ms Williams was not ticketed or charged.
The incident is not the first time Ms Williams has been in trouble with the law for her driving. In September 2009 she was fined €102 for driving without proof of insurance in her Mercedes Benz.
In May 2013 her licence was suspended after she failed to pay fines – she eventually paid the €142. Two months later she was involved in a crash in Palm Beach County and was given a ticket for driving while on a suspended or revoked licence.