Police Now Say Venus Williams Cleared of Wrongdoing in Fatal Crash

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Summary: A new video shows that Venus Williams had lawfully entered the intersection before she was T-boned by an elderly couple. 

Earlier this month, Serena Williams was deemed at fault for a fatal car crash by Florida police, but a new video has cleared her name, authorities said.

  

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Palm Beach Gardens police had declared that Williams had run a red light, which led to a T-bone accident that killed a 78-year-old man. However, police obtained a surveillance video from a guard gate at a residential community near the intersection, and the tape seems to show that Williams had lawfully entered the intersection on June 9th before a vehicle struck her.

“It has been determined the vehicle driven by Venus Williams lawfully entered the intersection on a circular green traffic signal, and attempted to travel north through the intersection to Ballenisles Drive,” police said.

“The vehicle driven by Linda Barson was traveling west on Northlake (Boulevard), in the outside lane, approaching a steady red traffic signal,” the police statement continued. “The traffic signal then cycled to green, at which time Barson continued westbound and entered the intersection. The front end of Barson’s vehicle collided with the right front of (Williams’) vehicle.”

Williams’ SUV was T-boned by the car of Linda and Jerome Barson. Linda suffered some injuries, but Jerome had head trauma and was taken to the hospital. He died two weeks later.

Linda Barson filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Williams after the police stated she was to blame. While police have changed their status on William’s lawfulness, the family attorney said that the newly released surveillance tape actually supports the Barson case.

“The video released by the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department continues to support the fact that Ms. Williams remained in the intersection at a red light, violating the Barsons’ right of way. There is nothing that disputes Ms. Williams was in the intersection on a red light, and the witnesses clearly confirm the Barsons had a green light and lawfully entered the intersection,” the Barson attorney Gary Iscoe said.

Williams’ attorney, Michael Cunningham, told CNN he was confident the video would prove his client was not at fault.

On Friday, a judge granted an emergency motion that will allow both parties to download and inspect crash data from the two vehicles involved, according to CNN. 

On July 3, tennis pro, Williams, won a match at the Wimbledon tournament; but she cried during the subsequent press conference when reporters grilled her about Jerome Barson’s death.

“There are really no words to describe, like, how devastating and — yeah. I’m completely speechless. It’s just …,” Williams said.

Below is the surveillance video of the accident:

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