Dwayne Haskins was drugged in an alleged "blackmail and robbery conspiracy" prior to being struck and killed by a dump truck while trying to cross a Florida interstate last year, according to a lawsuit filed by his family last month.
The lawsuit, which lists Haskins' widow Kalabrya as the plaintiff and personal representative of his estate, was filed in Broward County, Fla., and named four individuals, two restaurants, a golf driving range and a hotel as defendents in the alleged conspiracy.
Kalabrya Haskins is seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages, according to ESPN. A statement from Rick Ellsley, the attorney representing the family, said the lawsuit "is an important step in the process of uncovering the complete truth about this tragedy."
Haskins was killed just over a year ago, on the morning of April 9, 2022, when he was hit by a dump truck on Interstate 595 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He was 24.
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Kalabrya Haskins had initially called 911 on the morning of April 9, 2022, after her husband told her on the phone that he was going to get gas for his rental car and would call her back. When she didn't hear from him, she called 911 and requested dispatch to check on him.
It was later confirmed that he entered the travel lanes of the interstate and was killed by a dump truck traveling westbound.
The lawsuit accuses the driver of speeding, driving carelessly and transporting a cargo load that exceeded the legal weight limit.
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"The Florida Highway Patrol Traffic Homicide Report shows that Dwayne was only feet away from making it safely across the roadway when he was struck and killed by an old dump truck," Ellsley said in the statement. "... 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."
A toxicology report released one month after the accident concluded that Haskins was "legally drunk" with two separate samples returning a blood alcohol content of .20 and .24. and had traces of ketamine and norketamine in his system prior to his death. Clinically, these drugs are typically used as an anesthetic, but they are sometimes used recreationally.
Ellsley also cited a "highly-expensive watch" that was allegedly stolen from Haskins prior to his death as evidence of the blackmail and robbery conspiracy.
Haskins was taken out of Ohio State by Washington with the No. 15 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He saw limited action in each of his two seasons and reportedly struggled to win over the coaching staff.
After being released following the 2020 season, he signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers but didn't see the field the following season. He was reportedly in Florida training with Steelers teammates at the time of his death.
