Rashee Rice was driving Lamborghini involved in Dallas crash, lawyer says
DALLAS - Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver and former SMU standout Rashee Rice was behind the wheel of one of the two vehicles that triggered a chain-reaction wreck along Central Expressway over the weekend.
Rice's attorney, State Senator Royce West, spoke publicly for the first time Thursday at a short news conference. Rice was not at the news conference.
West started his news conference saying they recognize this is a very important incident in the city and one that has gained national attention. He said police told him there will be charges filed, but he did not say what those might be or when.
"I want to say on behalf of Mr. Rice that he has fully cooperated with the Dallas Police Department," he said. "Every question that was asked of him, he responded to."
With his law partner, Craig Capua, at his side, West admitted for the first time that Rice was driving one of the two vehicles that caused Saturday's violent crash.
"During the interview, Mr. Rice acknowledged that he was driving the Lamborghini," he said. "That was the question that was asked, and he responded to that."
Six cars were involved in the accident with at least four victims. Some had to go to hospitals.
Dash camera video shows a Lamborghini SUV and Corvette losing control and colliding with other vehicles near the Lovers Lane exit.
Photos obtained by FOX 4 from TMZ Sports show a group of people from a Corvette belonging to Rice and the high-dollar rental SUV walking away from the crash scene without checking on the people in the other damaged vehicles.
West was asked why they left the scene.
"It's a good question. That’s still being investigated," he said. "And I can't go into the particulars now, but we will."
West declined to answer multiple reporters' questions about why Rice took off.
[REPORTER: "But the fact that he walked away from the crash without checking on anyone is an issue."]
"Again, allow the investigation to kind of move forward," West said.
The attorney did say he reached out to Dallas police on behalf of Rice Sunday evening, and that there have been two meetings with police: one with West and a second with West and Rice.
Rice met with the Dallas PD Wednesday.
"Every question that was asked of him, he responded to at the Dallas Police Department, and we will continue to cooperate with them in terms of this particular accident," West said.
West says they are continuing to work with Dallas police and now trying to connect with the victims of the crash to make them whole.
Several of the victims of the crash have already retained attorneys.
An attorney for one of the victims said he appreciates Rice is trying to make it right, but that might not be easy.
West says Rice will take care of those victims.
"No one can ever bring back to a person who has been in an accident and help them get over the memories of being in that accident, but the fact is we're going to do everything in our power to do so," he said. "He's going to do everything in his power to bring their life back to as normal as possible, in terms of injury, in terms of property damage. He'll make sure he's responsible for helping get through that part of this."
"It was good to hear the senator today say that he was going to do right by everybody that was hurt. That is an unusual mark of honor in this world. Especially in the injury litigation world," said Marc Lenahan, who is representing one of the victims in the crash.
He says the facts of the case, including the number of victims and reckless nature, could make it costly.
"It's a beautiful, honorable promise to say that he's going to do right and settle this, try to do right by everybody without litigation. He didn't say that, implied without litigation. I don't know that you can do it. It's going to be very hard to do," he explained.
[REPORTER: "And by very hard, you mean very costly, right?"]
"Yeah, and Mr. Rice is young. He's got one contract. It's, you know, more money than anybody pays me in a year, but it's not a bazillion dollars," he added.
West asked that people hold their judgment and let the facts come out and said he clearly made a mistake.
"I can tell you this, but for the grace of God, someone could have been injured. I mean seriously injured," he said. "He understands that, and he appreciates that."
West says he expects Rice will speak publicly possibly in the next week. That might also depend on what happens with the charges.
Dallas police have not yet given a timeline on when there might be criminal charges.
"We're going to make sure we're as transparent as we can in balancing out his constitutional rights, depending on what happens with the case, and also making certain we take care of the victim's rights," West said.
In a statement posted to Instagram on Wednesday, Rice took "full responsibility" for his "part in this matter." The 23-year-old receiver also apologized to everyone impacted by the incident.