The widow of Dwayne Haskins filed a civil lawsuit that alleges the NFL quarterback might have been part of a blackmail conspiracy the night before his death.
“It is believed that Dwayne was targeted and drugged as part of a blackmail and robbery conspiracy,” attorney Rick Ellsley said Monday in a statement on behalf of Kalabrya Haskins. “In fact, his highly expensive watch was stolen from him shortly before his death.”
The lawsuit, filed in March in Broward County, Fla., lists four people, two restaurants, and a hotel among defendants connected to the alleged conspiracy.
Also added to the lawsuit is the driver of the truck that struck and killed Haskins in the early morning hours of April 9, 2022, as he walked on a South Florida highway.
“The filing of this lawsuit is an important step in the process of uncovering the complete truth about this tragedy,” the statement continued. “The civil justice system allows for subpoenas to be issued for critical documents and for sworn testimony to be taken of people who have knowledge about the events leading up to Dwayne’s death.”
Ellsley did not disclose any details about the alleged blackmail and robbery conspiracy.
Haskins was hit by a dump truck while walking on Interstate 595 in the Fort Lauderdale area. Kalabrya Haskins told authorities her husband called her that morning, informing her he was leaving his rental car to get gas to fill the empty tank.
The Broward County Medical Examiner ruled that Haskins’ death at the age of 24 was due to multiple blunt force injuries and the manner of death was ruled an accident. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The medical examiner released the toxicology report in May 2022 that concluded Haskins was legally drunk at the time that he was struck by the dump truck. One sample showed Haskins had a blood alcohol level of 0.24 percent, triple Florida’s legal limit of 0.08 percent.
The toxicology report also showed that Haskins tested positive for ketamine and norketamine. Both drugs can be used as medical anesthetics or recreationally. It is unclear whether Haskins was prescribed these medications.
The report found that since Haskins was unexpectedly in the roadway, the truck driver couldn’t have done anything differently to change the situation. No charges have been filed.
However, Ellsley takes issue with this conclusion.
“The Florida Highway Patrol Traffic Homicide Report shows that Dwayne was only feet away from making it safely across the roadway when he was struck and killed by an old dump truck,” Ellsley’s statement read. “This truck was going faster than the speed limit, carrying excessive cargo, had brake system problems, and was traveling on low tread tires with separated sidewalls.”
Ellsley also said other drivers saw Haskins as he walked on the highway and were able to avoid hitting him.
The lawsuit also seeks to answer whether the truck driver was impaired.
“The truck driver’s cell phone records have not yet been disclosed,” Ellsley said. “The report also notes that the driver refused to provide a blood sample to the police at the scene and still has not provided the alcohol test results.”
Kalabrya Haskins is listed in the lawsuit as the plaintiff and personal representative of Haskins’ estate, and is seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages related to his death.
Haskins was selected by Washington with the 15th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft after a stellar college career at Ohio State.
He was 3-10 as a starter during the 2019 and 2020 campaigns for Washington before being released late in the 2020 season. He passed for 2,804 yards with 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He also ran for 147 yards and one TD.
The Steelers signed Haskins in early 2021, but he didn’t see any game action. In March 2022, the Steelers signed Haskins to a one-year, $2.54 million deal.
Just before his death, Haskins had traveled to Florida to train with other Steelers quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers at the invitation of fellow quarterback Mitch Trubisky.
–Field Level Media