Ex-Football Player's Reckless Driving Led to Fatal Accident, Say State Police
Details from a fatal crash investigation have been released, implicating ex-college football player Kyren Lacy. The state police believe Lacy's reckless driving triggered a series of events that resulted in a tragic accident. This claim has been met with some skepticism after a video interview with Lacy's lawyer aired on local television, questioning Lacy's responsibility for the crash that cost the life of 78-year-old Herman Hall.
Police Statement on the Incident
The state police have maintained that the evidence they collected indicates that Lacy's erratic driving in oncoming traffic set off the chain of events that led to the fatal crash. They assert that Lacy's car did not physically hit any of the other vehicles involved in the incident.
Kyren Lacy, who was 24 at the time, died in April in Houston due to an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound while being pursued by police. Lacy had been facing charges of felony negligent homicide, hit and run driving, and misdemeanor reckless driving, but formal charges had not been filed. The case was being prepared for presentation to a grand jury.
A Closer Look at the Evidence
An arrest warrant affidavit revealed that Lacy was driving at an incredibly high speed in a 40 mph zone, weaving through traffic, including an 18-wheeler truck, on a busy road. As he tried to overtake a pickup truck, the driver had to take evasive action, braking and driving off the road to avoid a collision. The driver behind the pickup swerved to avoid a direct hit with Lacy's car and ended up hitting a 2017 car, in which the victim, Herman Hall, was a passenger.
State police have examined 21 different video cameras to track the path of Lacy's car from the crash site to a business 11 miles away. They also mentioned that Lacy called a personal injury and defense attorney less than 10 minutes after the incident.
Contradicting Claims
Lacy's lawyer, Matthew Ory, has disputed these claims, citing data from the crash investigation that suggests Lacy had returned to his lane well before the accident occurred. He maintained this would have given him enough time to avoid triggering the collision. Ory also presented video evidence of Lacy passing the crash scene after the impact.
Ory pointed out that the car that hit the vehicle Hall was in was tailgating the pickup truck. He suggested that the woman swerved to avoid hitting the truck when it braked. Initially, she was issued a citation for following too close, which was later amended to one for crossing left of center.
Furthermore, Ory presented footage that suggested a law enforcement officer coerced the pickup truck driver to testify that Lacy's green car caused the accident. However, the driver did not sign the witness statement.
The district attorney's office has not yet responded to these claims.
The Case Moves Forward
In the wake of these conflicting narratives, the state's Attorney General has announced plans for an independent review of all witness statements and evidence in the case. A follow-up statement confirmed that while there is no dispute over the evidence showing Lacy returning to his lane, this does not absolve him of responsibility for the accident. The evidence shows that every witness identified the car Lacy was driving as the catalyst for the events leading to the fatal crash.
Under state law, a person can be found guilty of vehicular homicide whether the death was "caused proximately or caused directly," meaning a driver did not have to make actual contact with the vehicle to be at fault.
Just days before Lacy's death, a female relative reported an argument with Lacy, during which he fired a gun into the ground. When officers arrived, Lacy had already left the scene. A traffic stop was attempted, but Lacy fled, leading to a pursuit that ended in a crash. It is believed Lacy shot himself during the chase before the car crash. A handgun was found inside the vehicle.