LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets are being sued by a mother who says Ball drove over the foot of her 11-year-old son last October, WSOC-TV reported.
Tamaria McRae said the alleged incident happened when her family was at Spectrum Center for the Hornets' Purple and Teal Day on Oct. 7. Fans were gathering outside and tried to catch players as they were leaving the arena. McRae said her now-12-year-old son, Angell Joseph, is a huge fan of Ball, so when he saw his car he tried to approach him and ask for an autograph.
"[Angell] was like, 'LaMelo, I love you. I love you, sign my ... give me your autograph. Can you sign it for me?'" McRae told WSOC-TV.
The mother said Ball did not sign anything and drove off. McRae saw Joseph looking down and at first she assumed he had dropped something. However, she soon realized her child was injured. The broken foot took months to recover, and McRae said Joseph was heartbroken by what happened. The local station shared a photo of the boy in crutches.
An 11-year-old was waiting outside the Spectrum Center after the Hornets' Purple and Teal Day. He wanted an autograph from LaMelo Ball
— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) May 21, 2024
His mom says Ball didn't sign anything. He sped off in his car and drove over the 11-year-old's foot, breaking it.
A lawsuit has been filed… pic.twitter.com/fsvnmQVRNV
Their lawyer, Cameron DeBrun, said the family had been looking into filing a claim in order to play for Joseph's medical bills. However, the police report did not have Ball's name or insurance information.
"Because that information was not provided, we only have one recourse and that's the court system," DeBrun said.
The family decided to also add the Hornets to the lawsuit because the incident happened during an official team event and they believe the organization should have done more to ensure the safety of fans.
There have been no public comments yet from Ball or the Hornets.
