Mother Sues LaMelo Ball and Charlotte Hornets Over Alleged Foot Injury at Fan Event
A lawsuit has been filed against Charlotte Hornets player LaMelo Ball and the team by a North Carolina mother, alleging that Ball ran over her 11-year-old son's foot with his car at a fan event last fall, as reported by WSOC-TV.
Tamaira McRae and her son, Angell Joseph, were attending a Hornets fan event at the Spectrum Center in October when the incident occurred. According to McRae, as fans approached players leaving the arena, Joseph asked Ball for his autograph.
“He was like, 'LaMelo I love you. I love you, sign my … give me your autograph. Can you sign it for me?'” she recounted to WSCO-TV.
Ball did not fulfill Joseph's request. Instead, McRae alleges, he "accelerated his vehicle forward suddenly," resulting in Joseph's foot being run over and broken. McRae described the subsequent recovery process as immensely challenging for both her and her son.
“For a while, I couldn't even recognize who my child was because, like depression, not being able to go outside and play,” she expressed. “When you see your children hurt, it hurts you. It's been rough. It's been real rough. I mean, like I'm a strong person. This broke me.”
Their attorney, Cameron DeBrun, explained to WSOC-TV that they intended to file a claim with Ball's insurance, but the absence of key information in the police report prompted them to pursue legal action. The lawsuit, filed in Mecklenburg County Superior Court, also includes the Hornets, as the incident occurred during their annual "Purple and Teal Day" event.
According to The Athletic, the lawsuit alleges Ball's negligence in operating his vehicle and failing to yield to a pedestrian, along with the Hornets' failure to provide adequate security and pedestrian control measures.
Ball, who played in 22 games last season due to injury, averaged a career-high 23.9 points and eight assists per game. The 22-year-old is set to begin the first year of a five-year, $204 million contract extension with the team this fall.
