A lawsuit filed a year after Dwayne Haskins’ untimely death on April 9, 2022, alleged that the former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback was “targeted and drugged” before being fatally struck on a Florida highway as a part of a “blackmail and robbery conspiracy,” an attorney representing the Haskins family said in a statement Monday.
The lawsuit filed in Broward County, Florida, last month reportedly named 14 defendants in the suit, including the driver of the dump truck that struck Haskins as he attempted to cross the westbound lanes of Interstate 595 on foot in the early morning hours of April 9, 2022.
Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins passes against the Detroit Lions at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. (Charles LeClaire-USA Today Sports)
“Many questions remain as to why the truck driver did not avoid hitting Dwayne given the highly visible activity in the area before the impact and the fact that the other drivers did not hit Dwayne,” attorney Rick Ellsley said in a statement.
“The truck driver’s cell phone records have not yet been disclosed. The [Florida Highway Patrol Traffic Homicide Report] also notes that the driver refused to provide a blood sample to the police at the scene and still has not provided the alcohol test results.”
Ellsley’s statement also cites driving over the speed limit, excessive cargo, and issues with the vehicle as contributing factors in Haskins’ death.
Dwayne Haskins of the Pittsburgh Steelers passes against the Dallas Cowboys at Tom Benson Hall Of Fame Stadium on Aug. 5, 2021, in Canton, Ohio. (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
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Haskins, who died just weeks before his 25th birthday, had a blood alcohol content of .20 at the time of his death – nearly 2.5 times the legal limit for driving in the state of Florida, according to the Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office.
The report also noted traces of ketamine and norketamine in his system, painkillers that are prescribed by a doctor but have been known to be used recreationally.
But Haskins’ attorney alleged foul play leading up to his death.
Dwayne Haskins of the Steelers during the Detroit Lions game at Heinz Field on Aug. 21, 2021, in Pittsburgh. (Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
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“As to what occurred in the hours before Dwayne was killed, many questions remain. It is believed that Dwayne was targeted and drugged as part of a blackmail and robbery conspiracy. In fact, his highly-expensive watch was stolen from him shortly before his death.”
According to ESPN, Haskins’ wife is named as the plaintiff in the civil case. No charges have been filed.
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