The New York Jets and their fourth-year cornerback Brandin Echols are embroiled in a lawsuit following a high-speed car crash in April 2022.
The incident, which took place on Columbia Turnpike in Florham Park, New Jersey, has led to legal action filed in Morris County Superior Court by Stephen J. Gilberg, a New Jersey resident.
Authorities reported that Echols was driving a 2021 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat at 84 mph in a 50 mph zone when he collided with Gilberg’s BMW. A newly released dashcam video captures the critical moments before and during the crash, showing Echols attempting to overtake Gilberg’s 2018 BMW X5 on the left. The video, obtained by the NY Post, depicts the Hellcat suddenly swerving right and striking the BMW, sending it over the railing.
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As a result of the accident, Gilberg was transported to Morristown Medical Center where he underwent two spinal surgeries. By March 2023, he had accumulated nearly $1 million in medical bills, as stated in his lawsuit.
Florham Park police charged Echols with fourth-degree assault by a vehicle, and he received multiple motor vehicle summonses, including for reckless driving, speeding, and unsafe lane change, among others, as reported by the New Jersey Herald’s Lori Comstock.
In February 2023, Echols entered a three-year pretrial intervention (PTI) program. Upon completion of this program, the charges against him will be dismissed. He is also required to make restitution payments to Gilberg, amounting to $1,200 per month until he reaches a total of $54,460.
Gilberg has expressed that the consequences of the crash and his injuries will have a lasting impact, stating they will “forever haunt me.”
