Venus Williams Sued After Man Dies In Car Crash

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL — The family of the 78-year-old man who died after being injured in a June 9 car crash involving Venus Williams filed a lawsuit on Friday seeking unspecified damages from the American tennis great. Palm Beach Gardens police also confirmed the victim's name as Jeremy Barson of West Palm Beach. Police have not charged Williams.

Barson died on June 22, his wife's 68th birthday. The couple had been married for 33 years with seven grandchildren.

Maj. Paul Rogers of the Palm Beach Gardens police said the crash remains under investigation.

"The Palm Beach Gardens Police Department initiated an investigation into a traffic crash involving Venus Williams on June 9, 2017," he said on Friday. "The crash occurred at 1:13 P.M. at the intersection of Northlake Boulevard and BallenIsles Drive in the city of Palm Beach Gardens."

According to the lawsuit, Barson's wife Linda was driving with her husband in the passenger seat when Williams "negligently operated or maintained the Toyota Sequoia so that she collided with a 2016 Hyundai Accent being operated by Linda Barson and occupied by her husband, Jerome Barson."

The suit alleged that Williams ran a red light and "was driving too fast for the conditions, driving carelessly and recklessly" and also accused her of "distracted driving."

The lawsuit said that the impact caused "extensive damage" to both vehicles. "The front end of the Hyundai Accent was crushed, the front windshield shattered, the airbags deployed, there was crush damage to the rear of the driver's side, and the back window was shattered."

Palm Beach County records examined by Patch show that Williams was cited for driving with a suspended or revoked license on July 3, 2013. following an unrelated traffic accident that had property damage of less than $3,000. No one was injured in that accident which occurred at 5 p.m. in the southbound lanes of I-95 at Glades Road in Boca Raton, Florida. Williams was not required to appear in court for that incident but she paid a fine of $163.

In 2011, she paid $139 after being cited on Sept. 30, 2011 for driving without proof of insurance. It was not clear from the records why she had been pulled over. The citation was issued at 11 p.m. at Main Street and Chancellor Drive in Jupiter, Florida.

The recent crash came five days after Williams was eliminated from the French Open by Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland.

Williams' attorney F. Malcolm Cunningham Jr. told Patch that the tennis star had not been charged and declined to comment on the lawsuit as of Friday.

"Ms. Williams entered the intersection on a green light," he said in a statement provided to Patch. "The police report estimates that Ms. Williams was traveling at 5 miles per hour when Mrs. Barson crashed into her. Authorities did not issue Ms. Williams with any citations or traffic violations. This is an unfortunate accident and Venus expresses her deepest condolences to the family who lost a loved one."

The lawsuit said that the Barsons suffered "severe traumatic injuries" and were both taken to St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach.

Jerome Barson suffered "lacerated skin, severed main arteries, massive internal bleeding, a fractured spine and massive internal organ damage," according to the lawsuit, which listed Linda Barson's injuries as a cracked sternum, shattered right arm, broken right wrist, hand and fingers.

"Jerome Barson fought for his life in the intensive care unit at St. Mary's Medical Center but did not survive his injuries," the lawsuit said.

Williams' publicist told the Associated Press that Williams is in London and set to play in the upcoming Wimbledon tournament on Monday. The five-time Wimbledon singles champion is scheduled to meet Elise Mertens of Belgium, whom she handily dispatched in the third round of the French Open. Monday's match starts at 6:30 a.m. eastern.

Venus Williams reacts in her women's singles fourth round match against Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland during day eight of the French Open at Roland Garros on June 4 in Paris. She was involved in a car crash five days later. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)