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Tragic news in the motocross community ... legendary pro racer Marty Smith and his wife, Nancy, were both killed in a freak dune buggy accident in California, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

He was 63.

Officials tell us Marty and Nancy were in a buggy that flipped at the Imperial Sand Dunes and rolled down a hill. We're told Marty was not wearing a safety harness and Nancy was only wearing a lap belt.

We're told emergency responders raced to the scene -- but couldn't do much. Marty was pronounced dead at the scene. Nancy was airlifted to a nearby hospital where she later passed away from her injuries.

Marty's best friend, Lee Ramage, was at the scene at the time of the crash and posted a statement on social media.

"It’s with the heaviest, grieving heart that I have to tell you Marty and Nancy Smith we’re killed yesterday in a rollover accident in his dune buggy at the imperial sand dunes," Ramage said.

"My wife, Tammi and I were in the buggy and were unhurt."

"We spent at least an hour trying to save their lives before first responders arrived. Marty took his last breath while I was holding his head, keeping his airway clear."

"Marty was my best friend and I tried with everything in me to save him while Tammi tried to save Nancy."

"There is so much to know about this man and how he wanted to leave this earth when God called him him."

"Please keep his children, Jillyin, Brooke and Tyler and all his grandkids in your prayers."

Marty took the industry by storm after going pro at age 17 in 1974 ... winning the inaugural AMA 125cc National Motocross Championship ... and defending his title in 1975.

Smith went on to win the 500cc championship in 1977 ... solidifying his spot as a superstar in the sport.

Marty retired from professional racing in 1981 ... but remained active in the motocross community as a coach.

Instagram's favorite dumbass, Supreme Patty, had a wild run-in with the law and got busted for gun possession, and cops say he didn't go easily either.

Patty -- who took credit for the record-breaking egg that beat Kylie Jenner for most likes -- was arrested Saturday outside Daytona Beach ... where cops say he was flying in his pickup truck at speeds of 100 MPH.

According to docs, obtained by TMZ, cops pulled SP over, ordered him out of the car and demanded he walk to them with his hands up. The cops say he was defiant, but eventually got to them ... and then further resisted when they cuffed him.

Cops say they searched his vehicle and found 2 firearms -- an AR-15 style pistol, and a Sig Sauer 9mm handgun. The police say Patty doesn't have a concealed carrying permit.

BTW, he's been known to post videos doing some pretty stupid stunts with guns ... including shooting a hole in a beer and then guzzling what's left of the can.

Patty was booked for felony carrying of a concealed firearm, misdemeanor resisting an officer and misdemeanor violation of an emergency order. Yep, they dinged him for breaking quarantine.

Patty, true to form, seemed pretty chipper about the whole arrest in his mug shot. He was released after posting $3,250 bond.

"Little Women: Atlanta" star Ashley Ross -- better known as Ms. Minnie -- has died from injuries suffered in a car accident ... but TMZ has learned there's a dispute about what caused it.

Minnie's management team says the reality TV star "succumbed to injuries from a tragic hit and run car accident." The wreck reportedly happened around 11 PM Sunday outside Atlanta. While the rep is saying it was a hit-and-run, cops investigating the accident tell TMZ ... it appears Ms. Minnie lost control of her Nissan Sentra and swerved into opposing traffic.

Cops say she struck a Ford Focus, and the driver of that car suffered minor injuries. Ms. Minnie was seriously injured and transported to Grady Memorial Hospital. She died there nearly 24 hours later.

Her family confirmed her passing with a statement posted on her Instagram account. Ross had been on Lifetime's spinoff of "Little Women: LA" since it started in 2016. Several of her cast members posted condolences and memories of her after hearing about her death.

Minnie is survived by her mother, grandmother, aunt, uncle and other family members.

She was 34.

The Pentagon appears to be confirming what a lot of tinfoil-hatters already suspected -- ALIENS are among us ... or at least they seem to be based on these mysterious videos.

The Department of Defense released three videos this week showing old Navy pilot footage, which captures what the feds describe as "unexplained aerial phenomena" in what looks to be like mini-ish flying saucers zipping around in the sky at incredibly fast speeds.

These clips have actually been out for years -- they were previously leaked to the media and published -- but this is the first time Uncle Sam himself is confirming their authenticity.

As for why now -- when folks are already freaking out over the coronavirus pandemic -- the Pentagon says ... "DOD is releasing the videos in order to clear up any misconceptions by the public on whether or not the footage that has been circulating was real, or whether or not there is more to the videos." They add ... what ya see here remains "unidentified."

One of these vids depicts what one of the Navy pilots described as a 40-foot oblong object hovering about 50 feet above the water, and then ascending to flight altitude within seconds. At one point, one of the pilots says the saucer is flying against super heavy wind without a problem, and then you see it stop and rotate mid-air. It's pretty freakin' wild.

You gotta wonder what the green people are thinking watching all this 'rona stuff from above (if, in fact, they're up there). Happy to hear your thoughts, fellas. We're all ears!

"I want to get it removed from my body. It's shameful that I had it on there ignorantly."

That's Patriots rookie Justin Rohrwasser fighting back tears and apologizing for the "3 Percenter" tattoo on his arm ... saying he'll now have it removed because "that's not who I am."

You've probably heard by now ... the 23-year-old has been under fire over the tattoo since he was drafted by the Pats in the 5th round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Why? Well, Justin claims he got the tat when he was 18 as a tribute to the military -- but some experts and watchdog groups say the "3 Percenters" are actually a dangerous right-wing militia ... some chapters reportedly associate with "extreme racist groups."

3 Percenters' leaders have disputed the claims -- claiming they're just patriots trying to protect American liberties.

Still, Rohrwasser has been getting crushed on social media by people calling him racist, a white supremacist sympathizer and more.

So, the former Marshall kicker did an interview with WBZ-TV's Steve Burton (who is black) to explain why he's JUST NOW having regrets about the ink.

"When I was 18, I got it. [3 Percenters were] described to me as the percentage of colonists that rose up against the authoritarian government of the British, and I was like, 'Wow, that's such an American sentiment. A patriotic sentiment. And coming from a military family, I thought that really spoke to me and I always was proud to be an American. I'm very proud to be an American."

"The first time I found out what it was linked to was on Saturday. That's why it was so surprising."

Shocking statement considering the 3 Percenters made national headlines back in 2017 when several 3P members showed up at the violent Charlottesville protests in military fatigues while carrying weapons.

"As soon as I saw what it was linked to on Saturday, it's exactly that time I knew I had to get it totally taken off my body. I said cover it up, but I want to get it removed from my body. It's shameful that I had it on there ignorantly. I'm sorry for all my family that have to defend me.

Rohrwasser says putting his family and friends in the "compromising position" of having to defend his character is "one of the biggest regrets I'll ever have."

"I'm sorry I'm going to learn from this ... this is not who I am ... no matter what, that 's not who I am. Hopefully, you will all find that out."

For his part, Burton believes him ... tagging his report, "I did not find him to be a racist whatsoever. I found him to be very authentic and very apologetic. This kid deserves a chance."

There's been a lot of speculation Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler are getting divorced because of an affair with another woman, but we've learned that is NOT the case and the dispute between the 2 involves custody over their 3 children.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Kristin was "surprised" that Jay filed first -- she didn't know he was doing it. There's one thing in his divorce petition that set her off ... his claim that he was the "at-home parent" who was the "primary caretaker" of their kids.

We're told Kristin was shocked and claims Jay was not telling the truth ... she says she has been the primary caregiver.

So, that set up the battle. Jay is asking for joint custody. Kristin, in her response, asked for primary physical custody with Jay getting visitation.

Tennessee is a "fault state" -- meaning someone asking for a divorce must show fault on the part of the other spouse, and that's why she claimed Jay is guilty of "marital misconduct." It's actually boilerplate language in the state. The language is included in a divorce petition and counterclaim because Kristin and Jay can't end the marriage without some showing of misconduct. As for what the misconduct is ... that's for the lawyers to handle.

There have been a bunch of rumors Kristin wanted out because Jay had an affair. We know there was a buzz about this on their reality show and the "other woman" was allegedly Kelly Henderson, who denied there was any relationship between her and Jay. It doesn't matter, because that has nothing to do with the divorce.

We contacted Kristin's lawyer, Rose Palermo, who had no comment other than to refer us to Kristin's post over the weekend saying the divorce was amicable.

Bill Withers died after suffering a cardiopulmonary arrest, which was complicated by COPD and arrhythmia ... according to his death certificate.

According to the doc, obtained by TMZ, the iconic soul singer's immediate cause of death is a cardiopulmonary arrest. The underlying causes are listed as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bradyarrhythmia.

Withers died on March 30 at 10:44 AM at Providence Tarzana Regional Medical Center. The doc also notes he had 49 years in the entertainment biz, and says he was laid to rest at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in L.A.

As we reported, at the time of his death, Bill's family described him as ... "A solitary man with a heart driven to connect to the world at large, with his poetry and music, he spoke honestly to people and connected them to each other."

Well, that he absolutely did ... with a string of hits including "Lean On Me," "Lovely Day" and "Ain't No Sunshine."

Bill's death came just as people were leaning on the 3-time Grammy Award winner's music ... finding inspiration in quarantine. In particular, there have been spontaneous neighborhood sing-alongs of "Lean On Me" lifting spirits.

Bill was 81.

Chiefs 1st-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire says he's ECSTATIC to play with Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City ... telling TMZ Sports he thinks the QB is a Hall of Famer!

We spoke with the LSU superstar just days after he was selected with the 32nd overall pick in the NFL draft ... and it didn't take long for him to tell us he's PUMPED over the idea of sharing a backfield with Mahomes.

In fact, Clyde says when he found out Patrick had advised Chiefs brass to pick him before their draft last week ... he became even more enamored with the QB.

"It made me feel like this was the right place to be," Edwards-Helaire says. "This is where God wanted me to be."

"And, ultimately. Man, MVP quarterback, soon to be Hall of Famer -- he's going to be a Hall of Famer, so for him to send my name in and want me to play with him, it made me feel a little special."

Clyde -- who's expected to have a huge role in the Chiefs' offense catching passes from Mahomes in 2020 -- added, "I'm still kind of amazed by the entire situation."