Venus Williams Is Found at Fault in Fatal Crash

Venus Williams is expected to compete at Wimbledon next week. Credit Kin Cheung/Associated Press

Venus Williams was involved in a car crash in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., on June 9 that resulted in a fatality, a spokesman for the police department there said.

The crash is under investigation, said the spokesman, Maj. Paul Rogers. Palm Beach Gardens police said in a report on the crash that Williams was at fault, but her lawyer noted that she had not been cited or charged.

The accident happened as Williams’ car was crossing an intersection around 1 p.m. at around 5 miles per hour, when another car ran into it, the report said. It said Williams was at fault for “violating the right of way’’ of the other vehicle, which was being driven by Linda Barson, 67. Her husband, Jerome Barson, 78, was injured and died two weeks later.

The report said there was no suspicion either driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Williams was not injured, her lawyer, Malcolm Cunningham, said.

“This is an unfortunate accident, and Venus expresses her deepest condolences to the family who lost a loved one,” Cunningham said in a statement.

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TMZ first reported on the accident Thursday.

Williams was cited in Palm Beach County, Fla., for driving without proof of insurance in 2011 and for driving with a suspended license in 2013.

Williams, who has won seven Grand Slam singles titles, is expected to play in her 20th Wimbledon starting Monday. She is seeded No. 10.

Williams has had her greatest success at Wimbledon. She has won the singles title five times, most recently in 2008. Last year, she reached the semifinals, her best result at the tournament since 2009.

Williams, who reached the final of the Australian Open in January, losing to her sister Serena, has not competed since the French Open. There, she lost to Timea Bacsinszky in the fourth round on June 4, five days before the accident, which occurred one day before the women’s final in Paris.

Last week, Williams spoke at a leadership conference in Sydney, Australia. She arrived in London on Wednesday, said her coach, David Witt, but she did not attend Thursday night’s WTA pre-Wimbledon party.

Correction: June 29, 2017 An earlier version of this article misstated the legal status of Venus Williams regarding a fatal car crash. Her lawyer said that Williams had not been cited or charged in the June 9 crash; he did not say that she had not been found at fault.

source:

nytimes.com