Getty Images Dwayne Haskins runs with the ball.
There was always something not quite right about the circumstances and events surrounding the death of the late Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins.
On the one-year anniversary of Haskins’ death, April 9, 2023, former Steelers safety Ryan Clark revealed that some new information has come to light. In a Pivot Perspective, Clark tweeted: “Per sources close to the situation, an upcoming press release pertaining to the death of Dwayne Haskins will detail a civil lawsuit into the events that led to Haskins’ death exactly 1 year ago today. Many questions remained unanswered & evidence may indicate that Haskins was somehow targeted. This will be pivotal in uncovering information that can lead to a clearer understanding of that tragic night.”
A Pivot Perspective…
The press release that Clark referred to was released by Haskins’ attorney Rick Ellsley on April 10 and was tweeted by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Dwayne Haskins’ attorney has filed a lawsuit one year after Haskins’ death — based on previously unseen evidence. The release, via Rick Ellsley of The Ellsley Law Firm:
In an effort to get answers to how and why Haskins was killed, his family filed a civil lawsuit claiming that Haskins may have been part of a blackmail conspiracy the night before his death.
“It is believed that Dwayne was targeted and drugged as part of a blackmail and robbery conspiracy,” Ellsley wrote in the press release. “What occurred in the hours before Dwayne was killed, many questions remain unanswered.”
911 Audio From Eye-Witness of Dwayne Haskins Death
Haskins, 24, died on impact in the early morning hours of April 9, 2022, after being struck and killed by a dump truck while trying to cross an interstate in Florida on foot.
Eye-witness audio, released by TMZ on April 20, 2021, reveals a frantic eye-witness calling dispatch moments before the accident, repeatedly shouting, “What the f*** is wrong with you? Get the f*** out of the road!”
Seconds later, the witness begins sobbing and eventually tells dispatch, “There was a man hit in front of me. I was traveling on the road, and I saw a dump truck hit the man.”
Medical Examiner’s Report Reveals Haskins Cause of Death
The Broward County Medical Examiner ruled the death (cause: blunt force trauma) an accident in the toxicology report obtained by the Miami Herald in May 2022.
The medical examiner’s report revealed that Haskins was “reportedly witnessed waving cars down on the shoulder” of the interstate before he was struck. Haskins’ car was found on the side of the road with a “female companion” inside. Her relationship to Haskins is unknown.
According to the toxicology report, Haskins’ blood-alcohol level registered at .20 (Florida’s legal limit is .08). The report also showed that Haskins tested positive for ketamine and norketamine. The drugs can be used as a medical anesthetic or recreationally. The toxicology report offered no insight as to why the drugs were in Haskins’s system and no other drugs were found in his blood.
Haskins was in south Florida working out with Steelers running back Najee Harris, now-former wide receiver Chase Claypool and several other offensive teammates with then-newly-signed quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who has a house in Florida.
Per the Herald, a Pittsburgh Steelers team official stated for the medical examiner’s report that Haskins had gone to dinner with a friend or cousin named “Joey” the day after training with Trubisky. After dinner, Haskins went to a club, “possibly in Miami” where, according to the report, “they drank heavily and at some point, they got into a fight, separating.”
Death of Former Steelers QB Dwayne Haskins Remains a Mystery
The press release from Dwayne Haskins’ attorney, Rick Ellsley, alleges the driver of the dump truck was exceeding the speed limit, “carrying excessive cargo, had break system problems, and was traveling on low-tread tires with separated sidewalls.”
Ellsley questions why the driver didn’t avoid hitting Haskins “given the highly visible activity in the area before the impact and the fact that other drivers did not hit Dwayne.”
He further states that many questions remain about what occurred in the hours before Haskins was killed. “It is believed that Dwayne was targeted and drugged as part of a blackmail and robbery conspiracy,” Ellsley wrote. An expensive watch was stolen from him shortly before his death according to the statement.