SUMMARY
- Haywood Highsmith was involved in a car accident on February 6, 2024, leaving 21-year-old Alekxei Pino permanently disabled.
- Pino has filed a civil lawsuit against Highsmith asking for a significant amount in damages.
Haywood Highsmith has transitioned into a pivotal role player on the Miami Heat roster recently. The team has benefitted a lot with his presence on the floor ultimately achieving a 30-25 record. But the 27-year-old is facing a big issue off the court. A couple of weeks ago, Highsmith was involved in a terrible road accident that left one individual horribly injured. And now, the NBA star is being sued by the victim who lost a limb as a result of the incident.
Alekxei Pino, the man who was struck by Highsmith claimed that the NBA player drove over the roadway’s legal speed limit. The impact was so harsh that it sent Pino’s car 50 yards away from where it was parked, leaving him with multiple injuries and broken bones. Luckily, Highsmith was not charged for breaking the road rules. It seems as if it was a genuine accident since Haywood wasn’t under the influence of alcohol or other narcotics.
Alekxei Pino claimed Haywood Highsmith exceeded the roadway speed limit
As mentioned earlier, Pino claimed that Haywood Highsmith drove faster than the legal limit on the roadway they were at. According to Yahoo Sports, Highsmith drove at 45 MPH on a 40 MPH lane. Pino was parked on the road without his tail or hazard lights on. After the accident, Pino was rushed to the hospital where he was treated for severe injuries. He remains hospitalized according to his attorney.
“Due to [Highsmith’s] negligence, [Pino] suffered permanent bodily injury and resulting pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, mental anguish, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life,” said attorney Manuel Dobrinsky. 21-year-old Pino was helping a motorist at the time of the accident. He has filed a civil lawsuit to claim damages from the accident. Highsmith was driving back home from a Heat game that had taken place earlier, on February 6.
Haywood Highsmith is expected to pay a significant amount in damages
Pino was in critical condition following the accident but now he remains on a steady path to recovery. A source claims that Pino will take a while to recover from the injuries and get back to living his daily life. He has undergone multiple surgeries and procedures to fix injuries that were endured from the crash on February 6. Pino is currently seeking between $50,000 and $100,000 in damages.
Haywood Highsmith was ruled out for the Heat game that followed but appeared during three matchups before the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend break. Following the incident, Haywood’s agent said, “This was an unfortunate accident. We have been notified that the person sustained significant injuries but is in stable condition. Haywood and his family are praying for him. Haywood is of course shaken by this and appreciates the support and prayers he has received.”
He is expected to show up in court to settle the differences. Pino’s family has set up a GoFundMe in hopes of raising at least $100,000 to cover the medical expenses.