Family of NFL Quarterback Dwayne Haskins files lawsuit over deadly I-595 crash
MIAMI - The family of former Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback Dwayne Haskins, Jr., who was struck and killed by a dump truck on I-595 last year, has filed a lawsuit.
On the morning of April 9, 2022, Haskin was fatally struck by the truck as he tried to cross the highway.
In its report, the Florida Highway Patrol said he was attempting to cross the westbound lanes of I-595 near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport when he was hit. It said he was walking on a "limited access facility for unknown reasons."
Investigators reportedly found Haskins' car out of gas near where he was hit. A woman he was with told investigators Haskins, 24, had gone to get fuel. Witnesses said he was trying to wave down cars and standing in the center lane when he was hit by the dump truck and then an SUV. The report said he died of blunt force trauma.
According to the lawsuit, the driver of the dump truck, Oriel Patino, was going faster than the speed limit, carrying excessive cargo, and had brake system problems. It also claims Patino told investigators that before he hit Haskins, he saw him "ahead of his vehicle" in the center lane.
The lawsuit also claims that, according to the report, before Haskins was hit, there were multiple other drivers in front of and behind the dump truck that saw him on the roadway and avoided hitting him.
The lawsuit claims there were tail lights, brake lights, and hazard flashers from these cars as well as a bright traffic construction signal board - all of which illuminated Haskins as Patino was approaching the area where he was crossing.
According to the Broward County Medical Examiner's report Haskins' blood alcohol content was 0.20 when he was fatally struck. That's 2.5 times the 0.08 legal limit for driving in the state. He also had the strong painkiller ketamine and its metabolite norketamine in his system. The drug can be prescribed by a doctor, but can also be abused recreationally. The report does not say why the former Ohio State University star had it in his system.
Attorneys for Haskins' family say there are a number of questions that remain unanswered as to why Patino did not avoid hitting him given the highly visible activity in the area before the crash. They note that Patino refused to provide a blood sample to the police at the scene and still has not provided the alcohol test results.
The suit names Patino along with Pedro Sinecio Diaz and Sorrel Enterprises, the owners of the truck. They claim it was not properly maintained.
Also named in the suit are the state's Department of Transportation and the contractors who were doing the construction, saying they failed to place signage in a way not to obstruct the view of motorists.
Haskins was driving a rental truck at the time and the rental agency is also named in the suit for failing to maintain it in "safe and reasonable manner." They said it was mechanically damaged and ran out of gas which caused Haskins to leave the vehicle.
The Wyndham Hotel Boca Raton, the Drive Shack - a golf driving range with a restaurant and bar, and the Blue Anchor pub were also named in the suit. It claims the hotel bars were negligent because they allowed "patrons to use drugs and to drug other patrons, including the Plaintiff (Haskins)"
Lawyers for Haskins' family believe he was targeted and drugged as part of a blackmail and robbery conspiracy. They point to the fact that an expensive watch was stolen from him shortly before his death.
The lawsuit claims Joey Smith. Karlee Peyton, Wissal Yassine, and Meriem Yassine "committed battery" on Haskins by blackmailing and robbing him "causing him and/or contributing to cause him severe injury and death."
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damage under the state wrongful death act.