Venus Williams is speaking out for the first time following the fatal car crash she was involved in.
In a Facebook post shared on Friday, the 37-year-old tennis pro revealed that she’s “devastated.”
“I am devastated and heartbroken by this accident,” Williams wrote. “My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Jerome Barson and I continue to keep them in my thoughts and prayers.”
On June 9, Williams was involved in a collision, which sent Jerome Barson, 78, to a hospital in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, where he died two weeks later.
According to a police report, obtained by TMZ, Williams was darting through an intersection when she was T-boned by Barson’s wife, Linda, who didn’t have enough time to stop before Williams cleared the lane. Barson reportedly suffered head trauma and was treated in the ICU for 14 days before he died. His wife suffered broken bones and other injuries but survived.
Meanwhile, Williams’ attorney, Malcolm Cunningham, suggested to ET in a statement that Williams was at no fault, as she “entered the intersection on a green light” when Mrs. Barsons crashed into her. “Authorities did not issue Ms. Williams with any citations or traffic violations. This is an unfortunate accident and Venus expresses her deepest condolences to the family who lost a loved one,” added Cunningham.
Still, the accident could cost her more than a few sleepless nights. As previously reported, Michael Steinger, the attorney for Barson’s spouse, recently appeared on “Good Morning America” where he stated that the family will file suit against the tennis star.
“At this point, we are attempting to both preserve the evidence and gain access to evidence,” Steinger said. “There were video cameras placed at guard houses where Ms. Williams lives; police have refused after multiple requests to turn those over to us, and we would like to see the visual portrayal of the accident on those videos. They have impounded all the vehicles and have impeded our ability to do our investigation and move forward. Not sure what their reasoning is. They have refused to turn them over to us at this point.”
