A North Carolina mother is suing the Charlotte Hornets and LaMelo Ball after the team’s star guard allegedly drove over the foot of her son with his vehicle during an attempt to obtain Ball’s autograph.
Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball allegedly drove over the foot of Angell Joseph after a fan event in October 2023
According to the lawsuit filed Tuesday, the alleged incident occurred in early October, when the Hornets hosted an NBA fan-focused event at the Spectrum Center in downtown Charlotte called “Purple and Teal Day at the Hive.”
After attending the event, Tamaria McRae stated that her then-11-year-old son Angell Joseph, who is now 12, waited outside the arena’s employee entrance when Ball’s SUV exited the arena.
Ball stopped at a nearby traffic light, and fans, including Joseph, approached Ball’s vehicle.
An 11-year-old was waiting outside the Spectrum Center after the Hornets’ Purple and Teal Day. He wanted an autograph from LaMelo Ball
His mom says Ball didn’t sign anything. He sped off in his car and drove over the 11-year-old’s foot, breaking it.
A lawsuit has been filed… pic.twitter.com/fsvnmQVRNV
— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) May 21, 2024
McRae said Ball looked at her son from his vehicle as Joseph stood next to it. When the light turned green, she alleged that Ball drove “in a grossly negligent and reckless manner in that he accelerated his vehicle forward suddenly and without warning and struck” her son, “severely injuring him.” She claimed that Ball then left the scene.
“[Angell] was like, ‘LaMelo, I love you. I love you, sign my… give me your autograph. Can you sign it for me?’” McRae recalled before Ball allegedly drove off.
“I just seen my son kind of go down and I thought maybe he had dropped something,” she added, remembering the moment Ball allegedly struck Joseph’s foot.
Cameron deBrun, McRae’s North Carolina attorney, said no claim was filed with Ball’s insurance company
According to McRae’s attorney, Cameron deBrun, Joseph suffered foot and back injuries in the incident. McRae alleged that the injury caused severe physical pain and emotional distress from a player her son considered his hero.
An incident report from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department that was obtained by ESPN said Joseph suffered bruises and scratches that were described as minor.
DeBrun said no claim was filed with Ball’s insurance company to pay the medical bills because the police report didn’t include the NBA player’s insurer or his name. He said without that information provided, their only available action was to sue Ball and the team.
McRae is seeking damages in excess of $25,000. The Hornets declined to comment on the lawsuit. Ball’s agent didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
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