New police video shows Haywood Highsmith was visibly shaken up after being involved in a gruesome car crash last month … appearing to be on the verge of tears in the minutes after the wreck.
The footage was captured on a Miami-Dade Police Dept. officer’s body camera at around 11:20 PM on Feb. 6 … shortly after Highsmith had played in the Heat’s game against the Magic at the nearby Kaseya Center.
Newly acquired body cam video shows the aftermath of a crash involving the Miami Heat’s Haywood Highsmith, who cops labeled a “distracted driver” for “unknown reasons”, after he slammed into a man 2/6. The victim, 21, lost a leg and is now suing. @wsvn #Exclusive story: pic.twitter.com/gl9Bmz7SSy
— Sheldon Fox-7 News (@fox_sheldon) March 6, 2024
@fox_sheldon
In the clip, you can see as a cop was questioning Highsmith about how he ran into a 21-year-old who was helping a stranded motorist in the middle of the roadway, causing serious injuries, the basketball player was emotional.
Highsmith, who at one point needed to be consoled by a woman at the scene, told the officer the car he slammed into had been stopped with no lights on. Other witnesses in the area can be heard in the footage saying similar things.
“It didn’t have emergency lights on,” one said, “at all.”
“It was just abandoned in the middle,” another added, “blacked out.”
Police documents state Haywood was driving 45 MPH in a 40 MPH zone when he hit Alekxei Pino and another car from behind. The docs say Pino sustained a partial amputation on his right leg, as well as a compound fracture to his left leg.
Cops say they believe drugs and alcohol were not involved — but Highsmith was still issued a citation for careless driving. He didn’t play in Miami’s game the following night on Feb. 7 — although he’s logged minutes in multiple Heat games since.
Pino, meanwhile, has filed a lawsuit against Highsmith, claiming the hooper’s careless actions on the roadway caused him to suffer life-altering injuries that will require “a very long road of rehabilitation.”
A GoFundMe set up to help Pino with his medical bills has already raised $34,000.
