It seems the tragic death of former Washington Commanders first-round pick Dwayne Haskins may not have been as cut and dry as some originally thought.
Ohio State star Dwayne Haskins was taken with the fifteenth pick overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. He entered the league with high hopes and big potential, and the Washington Commanders believed he could be the franchise quarterback they have spent years and many draft picks trying to find.
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However, after two seasons and thirteen starts Haskins never developed into a starting-level QB in the league. He eventually moved on to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers but his opportunity to reinvent himself and reach his potential in a new organization did not last long after he tragically died in a car accident last year.
As far as the sports world knew, the 24-year-old had been heavily intoxicated and walked into the center lane of I-595 in Florida, as he looked to cross it to get gas, and was struck by an oncoming truck. It was a tragic but avoidable death that looked to be solved. However, a lawyer representing the Haskins estate is now claiming in a new lawsuit that the former Washington Commanders and Pittsburgh Steelers talent was actually the victim of negligence and a “blackmail and robbery” plot.
A year after his surprising death, attorney Rick Ellsley released a statement on Monday claiming negligence by the driver of the truck that killed his client is the reason Haskins died in the early morning hours of April 9, 2022.
“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. … Many questions remain as to why the truck driver did not avoid hitting Dwayne given the highly visible activity in the area before the impact and the fact that the other drivers did not hit Dwayne.”
– Rick Ellsley of The Ellsley Law Firm
Ellseley claims evidence shows “multiple other drivers” were ahead of the truck and were able to avoid the former Washington Commanders’ talent. However, things get far more sinister from there.
The attorney is filling a suit in Broward County, Florida to uncover “the complete truth about this tragedy” and secure subpoenas for critical documents and testimony from individuals with knowledge of the events. The events — beyond the accident — are that Ellsley claims Haskins was “targeted and drugged as part of a blackmail and robbery conspiracy,” and that even his expensive watch was stolen before his death.
It is unclear who the suit is specifically against and the individuals that could have been involved in the conspiracy against the former Steelers QB.