LaMelo Ball is facing a lawsuit from the family of an 11-year-old boy who alleges that the Hornets star broke his foot while speeding away from Spectrum Arena last October.
The incident is alleged to have taken place on Oct. 7. The family claims that Ball ignored their son’s request for an autograph during a fan event. Instead, Ball is said to have driven away, breaking the child’s foot in the process.
“This is his hero, his idol, and he got run over by him,” the family’s lawyer, Cameron DeBrun, said.
Here’s what we know about the situation thus far.
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LaMelo Ball lawsuit, explained: Hornets star accused of driving over child’s foot
The event in question is alleged to have taken place on Purple and Teal Day, Charlotte’s annual fan festival. The family says that it attempted to go through Ball’s insurance to settle the dispute and pay for their child’s medical bills. However, the police report needed to file the claim was lacking pertinent information, including 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 said.
According to the family, the child carried wounds — both physically and emotionally — that have taken months to heal.
“For a while, I couldn’t even recognize who my child was because, like depression, not being able to go outside and play,” Tamaria McRae, the child’s mother, told WSOC-TV 9. “It’s been rough. It’s been real rough. I mean, like, I’m a strong person. This broke me. This right here, it really did.”
In addition to Ball, the family is also suing the Hornets organization. They believe the franchise should have taken more precautionary measures to protect fans during up-close interactions with players.
LaMelo Ball speeding videos
Ball has gained something of a reputation for his driving during his time in the Queen City.
heres a compilation of LaMelo leaving the Hornets arena, someone needs to tell him to stop running red lights jfc… pic.twitter.com/sOHeRFCpgY
— IcyVert (@IcyVert) February 22, 2023
