Charlotte Hornets Face Lawsuit After LaMelo Ball Vehicle Incident With Child Fan
The Charlotte Hornets filed papers to drop out of a lawsuit after LaMelo Ball’s car hit a 12-year-old boy’s foot outside a team event in October 2023. The team told wcnc.com news, “They had no control over Ball’s actions on public streets.” As lawyers look into the case, they’re planning to question the head of security about what happened that day. The court will look at the team’s request to be removed from the lawsuit next March. Ball hasn’t responded to the claims yet but asked for more time to prepare his defense.
The boy’s mother, Tamaria McRae, is seeking more than $25,000 for injuries to her son, Angell Joseph. This happened when fans were leaving the team’s Purple and Teal Day event. McRae sued this spring when insurance negotiations failed. With Ball’s information missing from police records, she couldn’t get compensation for her son’s medical bills. Local police aren’t saying much about the incident. Even after multiple requests for information, they won’t release details from their report.
The court will look at the team’s request to be removed from the lawsuit next March. Ball hasn’t responded to the claims yet but asked for more time to prepare his defense.
The incident brings up serious concerns about crowd management. Teams usually set up barriers when players leave, but it’s unclear if any were in place. This situation highlights the challenges of fan safety at sports events. Teams need to balance protecting both their players and fans in crowded situations.
After this incident, people are taking a closer look at venue policies. New safety measures might be put in place to prevent similar accidents. The outcome could change how teams handle both player behavior and fan safety going forward.