Venus Williams won’t face charges in fatal car crash as police say no one is to blame
Family of Jerome Barson, who died in collision with tennis star’s car, say investigator’s conclusions are wrong and plan to continue lawsuit
No charges will be filed against tennis star Venus Williams or the other driver for a crash in June that fatally injured the other driver’s husband, police said.
The Palm Beach Gardens police report said an unidentified third vehicle illegally cut off Williams as she tried to cross a busy six-lane highway near her home, setting off a chain of events that ended with a car driven by Linda Barson, 68, slamming into the passenger side of Williams’ car.
Barson’s 78-year-old husband, Jerome, died 13 days after the June 9 crash and she suffered a broken arm and other injuries. Williams, 38, was not hurt.
Jerome Barson’s estate had filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Williams, seeking unspecified damages.
Officer David Dowling, the lead investigator, said in his report that video from a nearby security camera shows Williams legally entered the intersection from a road exiting her gated neighbourhood on a green light.
As she started to cross, a dark car cut her off, forcing her to stop. When the car cleared her path, Williams began moving forward in her car but that put her in the path of the Barsons, who now had the green light. The Barsons’ car hit Williams’ car at 65 kilometres per hour.