Jayson Williams Car Crash is on Video

Jayson Williams Early Morning Arrest in Manhattan Ends in Arrest, Broken Neck and Video of it All

Saul Relative
Jayson Williams, the court-embattled former New York Nets basketball star, was involved in a car wreck early Tuesday, and there's a video to go with his latest brush with the law. Not only did he refuse to take a breathalyzer test before being arrested for suspicion of DWI and taken to the hospital, he reportedly told police that he wasn't driving the black Mercedes SUV that crashed into a tree just off the 20th street exit in Manhattan. But witnesses say he was behind the wheel, that no one else got out of the vehicle and fled the scene, even though Jayson Williams maintains there was someone else who had been driving. But with police producing a video of the car crash, Williams just might have to change his story.

Law enforcement told TMZ that the video proves that Jayson Williams was the only person in the vehicle, that no one exited the car and that Williams was the driver of the SUV that crashed into the tree. The video is just the latest bad news the ex-basketball star has received since the crash.

Not only was Jayson Williams taken to the prison ward of Bellevue Hospital after the crash because of his arrest, but he was informed there that he had fractured his neck in the crash. While he was there, he was also informed that prosecutors in his manslaughter retrial have moved to rescind his bail. And to add insult to injury, Williams was formally charged with drunken driving at his hospital bed.

The bad news was just the latest...

Back on May 25, Williams was arrested for assault in Raleigh, North Carolina, after hitting a guy in the face outside a nightclub.

On April 27, a female friend of Williams' called 911 and told the dispatcher that Jayson Williams was acting violently and causing a disturbance. She informed the dispatcher that alcohol and prescription medication were factors in his behavior. When police arrived, he had barricaded himself in his room and was trashing the place. Police had to taser Williams before handcuffing him. They then took him to St. Vincent's hospital for psychiatric evaluation. Police later said they found empty prescription bottles in the room.

These incidents have occurred after Williams was tried in 2004 for the 2002 accidental killing of his limo driver. He was convicted of covering up the crime but was acquitted of aggravated manslaughter. He was to be retried for reckless manslaughter. However, in November 2009 it was announced that Williams would plead guilty to aggravated assault, for which he must serve a minimum of 18 months. The maximum amount he might have to serve is three years.

He told a judge in September that he was "flat broke." Jayson Williams reportedly earned $87 million while playing for the New York Nets. That does not include the money he made while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers.

His wife has filed for divorce. She is asking for $200,000 in back maintenance and child support.

And now a drunk driving charge, a broken neck, and the possible rescinding of his bail.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell once said that "Bad news isn't wine. It doesn't improve with age." Jayson Williams is certainly finding that to be so very true...

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Sources:

NYDailyNews.com
TMZ.com

Published by Saul Relative

WVU graduate, with degrees in History, English, Secondary Education, Computer Programming, and Psychology (and nearly a degree in Political Science). Originally from West Virginia, with stints in Virginia,...   View profile

7 Comments

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  • Michael Thompson 1/6/2010

    A few years ago I checked out a book from the library written by this guy, "Loose Balls," and it was really original and even funny in parts, not the typical dumb-down sports book by any means. The only problem was that there is a former book by the exact same title written by sportswriter Terry Pluto on the ABA. Anyway, this Jayson Williams (somehow one of three hoopsters by the same name) had so much going for him! Still does I suppose, potentially, but this is sad.

  • Karen Gros 1/6/2010

    Sounds like a tough break for this guy...and yes, that was said with sarcasm ;)

  • Wendy Dawn 1/6/2010

    Guess he is more than flat broke now. Maybe broken?

  • Dina Quirion 1/6/2010

    great update... :o)

  • Rick Soisson 1/6/2010

    Repeat Knucklehead of the Week Award...can't go to a month, of course. It's only the 6th.

  • Jan Corn 1/6/2010

    Thanks for the update, always so quick!

  • Abby Greenhill 1/6/2010

    They are the New Jersey Nets not New York Nets

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