Dwayne Haskins’ wife Kalabrya has filed a lawsuit against 14 people or entities that she claims contributed to her husband’s death on a Florida highway one year ago, her attorney announced Monday morning.
The wide-ranging lawsuit alleges negligence by the driver of the dump truck that struck Haskins, the state government entity tasked with maintaining the roadway, the company that provided his rental car, and the night club he attended the night before the crash, among other entities.
The lawsuit also accuses four individuals of deliberately drugging Haskins “to blackmail and rob him” in the leadup to the crash, therefore contributing to his death.
“The filing of this lawsuit is an important step in the process of uncovering the complete truth about this tragedy,” attorney Rick Ellsley said in a news release.
“… On behalf of Dwayne’s wife, his family, and his memory, and on behalf of the truth, we respectfully request the public’s patience and its withholding of judgment while the legal process continues.”
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Ten of the 14 defendants named in the lawsuit did not immediately reply to messages from USA TODAY Sports seeking comment Monday morning.
USA TODAY Sports was not immediately able to reach the four individuals whom the lawsuit accuses of drugging the NFL quarterback, who was the No. 15 overall pick in the 2019 draft.
Kalabrya Haskins initially filed the lawsuit in Broward County, Florida on behalf of her husband’s estate more than two weeks ago, according to court records. But her attorney unveiled the lawsuit on the heels of the one-year anniversary of the death, which was Sunday.
Haskins, 24, was hit and killed by a dump truck in the early morning hours of April 9, 2022 while trying to cross an interstate highway near Fort Lauderdale on foot, apparently to search for a gas station.
The local medical examiner’s office later determined that Haskins had a blood-alcohol concentration of at least 0.20% at the time of his death – which is more than double the legal limit in Florida of 0.08%. An autopsy also revealed that Haskins had ketamine – described by the Drug Enforcement Administration as a “club drug” – in his system.
Though the medical examiner ruled Haskins’ death as an accident, the lawsuit alleges it was caused, at least in part, by others’ negligence.
The lawsuit claims, among other things, that the dump truck’s brakes and tires had not been properly maintained, and its driver failed to “use due care.” It alleges that the Florida Department of Transportation should have lowered the speed limit in the area, due to nearby construction, and did not “maintain necessary street lighting.” And it claims the rental car that Haskins was driving was unreasonably hazardous “because it was mechanically damaged and ran out of gas.”
Other claims in the lawsuit target businesses and locations where Haskins spent time prior to the crash, including a hotel, driving range, pub and night club. The lawsuit alleges each of the locations should be found negligent in Haskins’ death because they “(allowed) patrons to use drugs and to drug other patrons.”
The lawsuit appears at least in part to be an avenue by which Haskins’ family can pursue information. Ellsley, the attorney, noted in his news release that the lawsuit could result in subpoenas for “critical documents” and sworn testimony.
Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.
