CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Hornets and NBA All-Star LaMelo Ball have been sued by a woman who claims Ball hit her son with his car outside the Spectrum Center in October 2023.
The incident allegedly happened after "Purple and Teal Day at the Hive," a free activity event hosted by the Hornets on Oct. 7, 2023.
Fans like Narlie Croutch worry the latest incident could damage the franchise.
“Hearing this kind of like is gonna send us back in or is it gonna bring more controversy to Charlotte?” Croutch asked.
As Ball drove off from the event, fans swarmed his car as he stopped at a traffic light on North Caldwell Street, according to the lawsuit. The plaintiff's son was among the people who surrounded Ball's car.
Ball drove off from the area soon after. The lawsuit states he did so in a "grossly negligent and reckless manner." In doing so, the plaintiff's son was hit by Ball's car.
Attorney Gary Mauney explained why the franchise could be liable.
"If you own or control premises, you have a duty of reasonable care to the people that come onto your property," Mauney told WCNC Charlotte. "And part of reasonable care is at the facility where the players play, everybody knows where the teams leave on the back half of the building. The team, if they control that area, would be reasonable for using reasonable care. "
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department did not release any information about this incident when it happened. WCNC Charlotte has requested an incident report on the situation.
The child was severely injured by the incident, according to the lawsuit. The plaintiff claims she has suffered financial and emotional distress because of the incident. The plaintiff is seeking at least $25,000 each for her and her son.
Ball has not commented on the incident. The Hornets declined to comment. The lawsuit was filed in Mecklenburg County on Tuesday. There is no next court date listed.
Ball has been one of the Hornets' top players since he was drafted in 2020. He's averaged 20 points per game, was voted to the NBA All-Star team in 2021, and has become the face of the franchise. However, injuries have kept him out of over 100 games in the last two seasons.
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