Wife of the late Dwayne Haskins files civil lawsuit against 14 people 1 year after QB's death
The wife of the late Dwayne Haskins filed a lawsuit against multiple individuals and companies she claims played a role in her husband's death. Haskins died April 9, 2022, after he was hit by a truck on the side of a Florida highway.
Kalabrya Haskins' attorney, Rick Ellsley, released a statement Monday with more details regarding the former quarterback's death, which was later ruled an accident. Ellsley alluded to the fault of the driver of the vehicle that struck Haskins and insinuated that the late Haskins was "targeted and drugged as part of a blackmail and robbery conspiracy."
"The filing of this lawsuit is an important step in the process of uncovering the complete truth about this tragedy," Ellsley wrote in the statement. "The civil justice system allows for subpoenas to be issued for critical documents and for sworn testimony to be taken of people who have knowledge about the events leading up to Dwayne’s death."
Dwayne Haskins’ attorney has filed a lawsuit one year after Haskins’ death — based on previously unseen evidence. The release, via Rick Ellsley of The Ellsley Law Firm: pic.twitter.com/1F4c13qu6L
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 10, 2023
Fourteen defendants were named in the lawsuit, according to court documents, including the truck driver, the Florida Department of Transportation and a rental car company. Haskins also alleges four other individuals, Joey Smith, Meriem Yassine, Wissal Yassine and Karlee Peyton, drugged and robbed her late husband before he was killed. Those four are being sued for battery, per TMZ.
Haskins reportedly had a blood alcohol content of between .20 and .24 when he died, according to the toxicology report released in the weeks after his death — three times the legal limit in Florida. He reportedly "drank heavily" the night before while out with a friend. The toxicology report also noted that the sedative ketamine was the only other drug detected at the time of Haskins' death.
The truck hit Haskins on Interstate 595 near Fort Lauderdale, after officials said he was walking between lanes on the road. A 911 call from Haskins' wife claims he left his vehicle and crossed the road to get gas.
Haskins died at the age of 24 after three years in the NFL. The Washington Commanders drafted him No. 15 in 2019 out of Ohio State where he played for two seasons before signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021. Family, friends and teammates celebrated Haskins' life at an emotional memorial service in Maryland a few weeks after his death.
