This is a strange one.
Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball is reportedly being sued by a Charlotte family after he allegedly drove over an 11-year-old’s foot which resulted in him breaking it.
This from NBACentral via WSOC-TV in Charlotte.
A Charlotte family is suing LaMelo Ball and the Hornets after Ball allegedly drove over 11-year-old Angell Joseph’s foot, breaking it, and ignored his request for an autograph. The incident occurred as fans approached players after an event. Angell’s mother describes his recovery as physically and emotionally challenging.
According to WSOC-TV’s Jason Stoogenke, the incident occurred on October 7, after a Charlotte Hornets event when fans gathered outside the arena to interact with players.
Tamaria McRae, Angell Joseph’s mother, recounted the events to Action 9’s Jason Stoogenke, stating that her son had approached Ball enthusiastically, asking for an autograph.
“He was like, ‘LaMelo, I love you. I love you, sign my … give me your autograph. Can you sign it for me?’” McRae explained.
However, Ball did not stop to sign anything and drove off.
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McRae then noticed her son in distress and initially thought he had dropped something.
She soon realized that Ball had driven over Angell’s foot, resulting in a broken foot.
“This is his hero, his idol, and he got run over by him,” said their lawyer, Cameron DeBrun.
McRae added that her son has spent months recovering, both physically and emotionally, experiencing depression and an inability to play outside.
“When you see your children hurt, it hurts you,” McRae shared. “It’s been rough. It’s been real rough. I mean, I’m a strong person. This broke me. This right here, it really did.”
DeBrun mentioned that the family initially intended to file a claim with Ball’s insurance to cover medical expenses, but the police report lacked crucial information, such as Ball’s insurer and even his name.
“Because that information was not provided, we only have one recourse, and that‘s the court system,” DeBrun stated.
Stoogenke questioned if the lawsuit was motivated by Ball’s celebrity status and wealth.
DeBrun responded, “I’d say if that was the case, we would have done this a long time ago. They had no desire to seek legal action. They wanted healing.”
The lawsuit also targets the Hornets, as the family claims the team should have implemented better safety measures to protect fans during their annual Purple and Teal Day, anticipating that fans would try to get close to players.
