Comedian Kevin Hart was seriously injured in a crash last month while riding in his 1970 Plymouth Barracuda. Now, the California Highway Patrol has determined the accident was caused by reckless driving.
According to NBC News, authorities determined Jared Stanton Black was driving and “quickly accelerated” while turning the vehicle. The CHP says this caused the right rear tire to lose traction and this lead to Black losing control of the Barracuda.
The car eventually hit a curb before crashing into a fence. It then plunged down an embankment and hit a tree.
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Three people were in the vehicle at the time of the crash, but passenger Rebecca Broxterman escaped relatively unharmed. Black and Hart weren’t as lucky as both suffered “major back injuries.”
Hart’s lawyer, Andrew Brettler, told NBC News the crash fractured his spine in three places. Following the accident, doctors performed surgery and Brettler said the comedian is “committed to the physical therapy regimen and is getting stronger every day.” He went on to say Hart “feels extremely lucky and blessed,” and should be able to resume working full time early next year.
It remains unclear if authorities will now pursue charges against Black, but the determination that reckless driving was the cause of the accident could impact expected lawsuits.
As TMZ reported last month, both Black and Broxterman have hired attorneys and they are reportedly looking into whether or not Hart’s decision to keep the car authentic could be considered negligence as the actor didn’t have the vehicle equipped with modern safety features such as airbags and seat harnesses.