A new lawsuit filed this morning, one year and one day after the death of former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins, provides new evidence in the lead-up to his death on April 9, 2022. The news was reported by Ian Rapaport of NFL Media.
The lawsuit, filed by Rich Ellsley of the Ellsley Law Firm, alleges that Haskins was hit by the front left of the dump truck (which differed from the driver’s account of events) and that the truck had numerous mechanical problems while also traveling above the speed limit. It also alleges that numerous other drivers were able to avoid Haskins, raising questions about why the dump truck wasn’t. The suit claims that the driver told police he saw Haskins “ahead of his vehicle” in the center lane.
It also alleges that tail lights, brake lights and hazards illuminated Haskins in the roadway despite his being struck in the early morning when it would’ve typically been dark. The suit also alleges that the driver of the dump truck wouldn’t provide a blood sample at the scene to police and has yet to provide any alcohol test results. The driver’s cell phone records have also yet to be disclosed, per the suit.
“A few drivers even had time to call 911 and were present in the area before Dwayne was hit,” it reads.
The suit also alleges that Haskins may have been targeted and drugged as part of a conspiracy to blackmail and rob the former Ohio State quarterback. According to the lawsuit, Haskins’ “highly-expensive” watch was stolen from him shortly before his death. The suit alludes to the possibility of subpoenas getting be issued for documents and testimony relating to people with knowledge of the events leading up to Haskins’ tragic death.
The suit is asking anyone with knowledge of the incident to come forward and for the public’s withholding of judgment throughout the legal process.
The information about the lead up to Haskins’ death is obviously new. It’s going to be interesting to see how this process plays out, as that part of the lawsuit is limited. The bulk of it focuses on the dump truck driver and why he wasn’t able to avoid Haskins while raising questions about the safety of the vehicle and the driver’s state of mind. What we can all agree on is that Haskins’ life was taken tragically and far too soon. This lawsuit can hopefully bring some peace to his friends and family.
