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Haywood Highsmith appears highly emotional in new police bodycam footage, which shows the NBA star in the immediate aftermath of a horror car crash in Florida last month.
The Miami Heat forward was cited for careless driving in relation to the accident on February 6, which left a 21-year-old man in critical condition and in need of a partial amputation of his right leg.
The fresh footage shows Miami-Dade Police officers taking a statement from a teary Highsmith, who tells them: ‘The signal lights weren’t on. He got out the of car and by the time he got out, it was too late.’
At the time of the crash, Alekxei Pino had been ᴀssisting another motorist with their disabled Toyota SUV, which had its lights off, when Highwood hit him in his 2021 Audi A5.
As he tries to explain the events to an officer, Highwood, visibly shaken, breaks down into tears and bends over with his head in his hands.
Haywood Highsmith was highly emotional in the aftermath of a horror car crash last month
The NBA star breaks down into tears in new bodycam footage from Miami-Dade police
Highsmith is visibly shaken after hitting Alekxei Pino, 21, who needed a partial leg amputation
Highsmith’s girlfriend, Mel Diaz Carrasco, attempts to comfort him, rubbing his back, while she ᴀssures him that Pino is not ᴅᴇᴀᴅ.
As a police officer checks Highwood’s Audi, the vehicles airbags are seen deployed, while debris is scattered all over the road with fire rescue trucks and multiple police cars are on the scene with their emergency lights on.
Other witnesses can be heard discussing the incident in the background, with one saying, ‘It didn’t have emergency lights on. At all.’
‘It was just abandoned in the middle,’ another added, ‘blacked out.’
While the crash was not fatal, Pino was left with serious injuries, which resulted in an above-the-knee amputation and multiple other procedures.
Pino sued the basketball player on February 17, seeking unspecified damages that are estimated to be in excess of $50,000.
His attorney, Manuel Dobrinsky, described a ‘very long road of rehabilitation ahead’ for Pino – who was still in the hospital recovering at the time.
Pino’s family has set up a GoFundMe to help with his recovery process and hope to raise $100,000. It has already raised over $34,000.
The fresh footage shows Miami-Dade Police officers taking a statement from a teary Highsmith
Highsmith’s girlfriend, Mel Diaz Carrasco, attempts to comfort him, after arriving at the scene
Carrasco rubs her boyfriend’s back, ᴀssuring him that Pino ‘is not ᴅᴇᴀᴅ’
As a police officer checks Highwood’s Audi, the vehicles airbags are seen deployed
Debris can been seen scattered across the road with emergency services at the scene
Fire rescue trucks and multiple police cars are seen in the background with their lights on
Pino’s family has set up a GoFundMe to help with his recovery, which has raised $34,395
Highwood was traveling home from the Heat’s game against the Orlando Magic at the nearby Kaseya Center at around 11:30pm and was driving at 45mph in a 40mph zone when he collided with Pino and the other vehicle from behind, according to a police report.
Police believe that drugs and alcohol were not involved, but they say Highsmith may have been distracted. He was cited for careless driving as a result.
The Miami Heat released a statement after the crash, saying their ‘hearts go out to those who were injured’.
Highsmith did not play in a game against the San Antonio Spurs the night after the wreck, but he did return against the Boston Celtics on February 11.
