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[ESPN] Passenger dies after Nuggets' Smith wrecks SUV

Discussion in 'NBA Dish' started by CharlieMurphy, Jun 11, 2007.

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CharlieMurphy Member

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I know there's already a thread about him getting into a car wreck, but I thought this deserved it's own thread.

Passenger in Smith car dies; player doing OK
NEPTUNE, N.J. -- A New Jersey man who was thrown from Denver Nuggets guard J.R. Smith's sport utility vehicle when it overturned last weekend died Monday night in the hospital, state police said.

Andre Bell, 21, was sitting in the back seat of the vehicle Smith was driving when it went through a stop sign, collided with another car and flipped over at 5:30 p.m. Saturday in Millstone Township.

Bell, who was in a coma, died from head injuries at 6 p.m. at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, said state police spokesman Sgt. Stephen Jones.

Smith, 21, who was also thrown from the sport vehicle, remained at Jersey Shore on Monday with an injured left shoulder and numerous scratches, Jones said.

Neither Smith nor Bell were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, he said.

Nuggets spokesman Eric Sebastian said he did not know when Smith might be discharged.

"I think it's too early to say," Sebastian said. "From everything we hear, he's going to be OK."

Sebastian said he did not know if Smith would miss any training, but added, "We didn't hear anything that would indicate his career would be jeopardized in any way."

Smith has been issued two traffic tickets for failure to stop at stop sign and improper passing, Jones said. Both carry fines, though the amount was not immediately available.

A third person in Smith's car and the driver of the car he hit had only minor injuries.

Smith had been a star at Lakewood High School and St. Benedict's Prep in Newark before being the 18th overall pick of New Orleans in the 2004 NBA draft. He averaged 13.0 points in 63 games for Denver this past season.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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Tragic incident that could've easily been avoided. I'm not going to say anything more about J.R..

R.I.P. Andre Bell

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2900023

#1 CharlieMurphy, Jun 11, 2007

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damn that sucks, will they charge him with manslaughter now or something?

#2 Xenochimera, Jun 11, 2007
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I wonder if there is some sort of negligent or even reckless homicide charges possible.

#3 Carl Herrera, Jun 11, 2007
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Man it is sad when the tragedy could have been avoided, I had a friend in high school pass away from not wearing the safety belt.

#4 RocketsFanSam, Jun 11, 2007
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Carl Herrera said:

I wonder if there is some sort of negligent or even reckless homicide charges possible.
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There will be a civil suit involved is my guess.

You have to be going damn fast to flip your vehicle after running a stop sign. If the dead man's family can prove gross negligence, then there will be punitive damages involved.

#5 codell, Jun 11, 2007
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It could've all been avoided. If that scumbag JR thought it was worth wasting two seconds of his time to 1) wear a seatbelt, and 2) not run a stop sign, the kid would still be alive.

Oh well, stupid friends can kill you...

#6 tigermission1, Jun 11, 2007
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Tragic!

Two words: Seat Belt.

RIP

#7 doublebogey, Jun 11, 2007

Carl Herrera Member

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tigermission1 said:

It could've all been avoided. If that scumbag JR thought it was worth wasting two seconds of his time to 1) wear a seatbelt, and 2) not run a stop sign, the kid would still be alive.

Oh well, stupid friends can kill you...
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I get part 2), but how does part 1) work? How does JR Smith putting on a seat belt prevent Andre Bell from flying out of the SUV?

As for civil suit, I think JR's lawyer has a decent argument to make for comparative negligence or contributory negligence. After all, JR did nto force Andre Bell to not wear a seat belt.

#8 Carl Herrera, Jun 11, 2007
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Carl Herrera said:

I get part 2), but how does part 1) work? How does JR Smith putting on a seat belt prevent Andre Bell from flying out of the SUV?

As for civil suit, I think JR's lawyer has a decent argument to make for comparative negligence or contributory negligence. After all, JR did nto force Andre Bell to not wear a seat belt.
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Drivers responsibility to make sure everyone is wearing a seat belt.

#9 dischead, Jun 11, 2007
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Wow. How can you live with that on your conscious?? JR Smith is a dumbass.

Anyways RIP..

#10 krnxsnoopy, Jun 11, 2007
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krnxsnoopy said:

Wow. How can you live with that on your conscious?? JR Smith is a dumbass.

Anyways RIP..
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Your conscience can't weigh heavily on you if you don't have one to begin with. I've known some people who committed some heinous deeds and acted like it wasn't their fault. They never accept blame so they never feel bad. Not that this has anything to do with JR Smith.

RIP Andre.

#11 MrButtocks, Jun 11, 2007
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krnxsnoopy said:

Wow. How can you live with that on your conscious?? JR Smith is a dumbass.

Anyways RIP..
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JR Smith was a dumbass in this specific incident, but don't you think he knows that?

I feel sorry for the guy that never got to finish his life the way he'd planned, and I feel sorry for his family - but you have to have some sympathy for JR, too. He's got to be hurting just about as much as anybody right now.

#12 Fuzzy Zoeller, Jun 11, 2007
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dischead said:

Drivers responsibility to make sure everyone is wearing a seat belt.
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He also ran a stop sign. I guess he'll be handing over his NBA salary (if the Nuggets keep him) to that guy's family. What a dumbazz. This is worse than Jay Williams.

#13 wireonfire, Jun 11, 2007

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Damn! He's gotta be feeling like crap right now about his friend.

#14 BEXCELANT, Jun 12, 2007
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BEXCELANT said:

Damn! He's gotta be feeling like crap right now about his friend.
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nah he's straight up gangsta, too cool to care about dat, he gottsta get paid. Ahh nothing like good ol idiots in the NBA

#15 dntrwl, Jun 12, 2007
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RIP. That's all I can say.

Karma. When you see someone run a stop sign, they can't get away forever. Maybe they can, but I'd rather just take a couple seconds to stop than have a situation like this on my hands.

#16 ShadyMcGrady, Jun 12, 2007
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Is my memory correct that JR Smith had another traffic accident in the regular season ?

#17 tsunami, Jun 12, 2007
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Fuzzy Zoeller said:

JR Smith was a dumbass in this specific incident, but don't you think he knows that?

I feel sorry for the guy that never got to finish his life the way he'd planned, and I feel sorry for his family - but you have to have some sympathy for JR, too. He's got to be hurting just about as much as anybody right now.
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No sympathy to him, NO! He had another accident in the regular season. He just never learns from his mistakes until something very serious happens.

#18 tsunami, Jun 12, 2007

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article said:

Smith has been issued two traffic tickets for failure to stop at stop sign and improper passing, Jones said.
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It sounds like the car in front Smith stopped at the stop sign and he decided to swing around that car so he could go straight through the intersection. Is there anything else to infer from those tickets?

#19 JuanValdez, Jun 12, 2007
CharlieMurphy Member

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Investigation continues as Smith's friend dies of crash injuries

NEPTUNE, N.J. -- A police investigation will determine whether Denver Nuggets guard J.R. Smith will face additional charges in a motor vehicle accident that resulted in the death of Smith's passenger, a close friend.

Andre Bell, 21, was sitting in the back seat of the sport utility vehicle Smith was driving when it went through a stop sign, collided with another car and flipped over at 5:30 p.m. Saturday in Millstone Township.

Bell, who was in a coma, died from head injuries at 6 p.m. Monday at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, state police spokesman Sgt. Stephen Jones said.

Smith, 21, who was also thrown from the vehicle, remained at Jersey Shore on Monday with an injured left shoulder and numerous scratches, Jones said. Neither man was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, he said.

Jones said prosecutors will continue investigating evidence from the accident, including results on a toxicology test of Smith, before deciding if additional charges should be filed, according to The Denver Post.

"If [Bell's death] changes anything, it changes the way the prosecutor might look at it," Jones said, according to the Post. "They are the ones we work with in terms of charges beyond any traffic charges."

Earl Smith, the father of J.R. Smith, told the newspaper that his son and Bell were close. He said the accident is weighing heavily on his son.

"They bonded. They were the best of friends," Earl Smith said, according to the Post. "He's just praying for his friend. It's the toughest part."

Smith has been issued two traffic tickets for failure to stop at a stop sign and improper passing, Jones said. Both carry fines, though the amount was not immediately known.

A third person in Smith's car and the driver of the car he hit suffered only minor injuries.

Nuggets spokesman Eric Sebastian said he did not know when Smith might be discharged from the hospital.

"I think it's too early to say," Sebastian said. "From everything we hear, he's going to be OK."

Sebastian said he did not know if Smith would miss any preparation time for the 2007-08 NBA season, but added, "We didn't hear anything that would indicate his career would be jeopardized in any way."

Smith averaged 13.0 points in 63 games for Denver this past season
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So now it looks like he may have been driving under the influence. Best friends huh? I bet he's really tearing up inside.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2900023

#20 CharlieMurphy, Jun 12, 2007

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