Car Crashes

Terrifying moment for figure skating legend Michelle Kwan -- who was involved in a bad crash in South Carolina on Friday after a mattress fell off a car on a highway.

The 39-year-old Olympic medalist was driving on Interstate 26 in Columbia around 6 AM when a driver in the fast lane "dropped a massive mattress" in the middle of traffic.

Kwan tried to avoid the mattress, but in the chaos, she was hit by another driver. Kwan says the car that dropped the mattress sped off when the driver saw the damage on the road.

"Luckily the driver who hit me was paying attention and slammed on his breaks - he still hit me hard."

Kwan -- who was driving a rented Nissan Sentra -- says she's grateful she wasn't pushed into oncoming traffic, where cars were racing around 70 mph.

"Thank God nobody was hurt," Kwan says ... "just felt very scared and now angry at the coward that drove away."

Kwan adds, "Sorry but just need to share and also remind folks to secure furniture or hire movers because you can really kill somebody."

In case you need a refresher, Kwan is one of the all-time greats ... she's been inducted into both the U.S. and the World Figure Skating Hall of Fames.

Ron Perlman was shooting a movie scene when an out-of-control truck plowed into a group of crew members -- injuring one of them -- but it sounds like it could have been a lot worse.

Sources on the scene tell TMZ ... the "Hellboy" star was on set of his upcoming film, "The Last Victim," Friday when the accident occurred. They were shooting at the Okanagan Indian Band in British Columbia.

We're told the driver of the truck mistakenly hit the gas instead of the brake and accelerated past where it was supposed to stop ... sending the crew scrambling to safety. Our sources say at least one person was struck and was on the ground being tended to by others until emergency workers arrived.

As of now, it's unclear who was driving the vehicle, but according to witnesses ... Perlman was visibly shaken up afterward and seemed to be "in shock."

Law enforcement tells us police were called to the scene for a work-related accident Friday morning, and one person suffered a minor foot injury. Nobody was transported to the hospital, though ... and the incident was referred to WorkSafeBC, a workplace safety agency for the Canadian province.

WorkSafeBC tells us it's aware of the incident and an investigation is underway. It adds that it assigned one of its Prevention Officers to go to the set the following day, which was the last day of filming.

Our sources say Perlman also returned to set that day.

"The Last Victim" is a neo-western with Ron starring as the local sheriff. The movie costars Ali Larter and Ralph Ineson ... it's unclear of either of them were on hand for Friday's incident.

Elon Musk has a smashing success on his hands, and we mean that in the worst way possible because his new Tesla Cybertruck -- billed as shatterproof -- shattered moments after he unveiled it.

We'll say this ... if Elon isn't firing a handful of people right now, he's going soft. On Thursday at SpaceX HQ in Hawthorne, CA ... he pulled back the curtain on the Cybertruck, and had a staffer throw a metal ball at the driver side windows to prove the near-indestructibility of its "armor glass."

It couldn't have gone worse as both windows shattered. Elon seemed to vamp to find a silver lining, saying ... "It didn't go through. That's a plus side."

It was reminiscent of some of SpaceX's early Falcon 9 rocket disasters. 'Memba this one? Juuuuust a bit outside of the landing pad, and into the drink!

To be fair, the Falcon 9 works like a charm now, so maybe that bodes well for the Cybertruck's future, but calling its introduction an embarrassment is an enormous understatement.

In fact, it went sooooo badly, it smells of a setup. The question -- was Elon in on it, just to make sure the new Cybertruck unveiling went viral? OR, was Elon set up by prankster employees?

If it's the latter, like we said ... someone's looking into unemployment benefits right now.

Jeremy Meeks will be back in court soon, and in a very strange coincidence ... the same man who was busted with him when he became hot mug shot guy is mixed up in this too.

According to new legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Meeks is being sued by WeHo Auto Rental, Inc. along with Terry Joe Bailey, Jr. More on him later.

WeHo Auto alleges Meeks rented a 2016 Porsche Cayenne and a 2019 Mercedes-Benz in September ... and both vehicles were involved in separate car accidents.

The rental company claims one accident occurred on Sept. 5 and the other on Sept. 10. Based on photos we obtained of Meeks at one of the crash scenes ... the Porsche wreck went down on the 10.

Here's where it gets even more interesting -- when cops in Stockton, CA busted Meeks back in 2014 on felony weapon charges ... Bailey was arrested with him on the same charges.

This arrest led to Meeks' mug shot going viral and eventually helped launch his modeling career ... which led to him dating and having a child with Topshop heiress Chloe Green.

Bailey didn't get that kinda fame, but now he's back -- as a codefendant in this lawsuit. It's unclear what his alleged role was in the accidents, but maybe this is his second shot.

Kevin Hart's 2 friends who survived that car crash with him are giving us a glimpse into their recovery for the first time since sustaining very serious injuries.

Rebecca Broxterman, the backseat passenger, posted images of the driver -- and her fiance -- Jared Black in a neck brace following the accident. She says the hospital bed photos of Jared are from Sept. 17 ... a little more than 2 weeks after the wreck.

Not surprisingly, Rebecca called the night of the accident the scariest of her life.

More than 2 months later, she's opening up ... saying after the accident she was terrified when she had to be separated from Jared when they were airlifted from the crash scene to the hospital.

Jared, who suffered very similar spinal injuries as Kevin did, underwent major back surgery, and Rebecca says they're doing physical therapy together a few times each week.

TMZ broke the story ... Kevin's 1970 Plymouth Barracuda -- driven by Jared -- crashed into a ravine Sept. 1 and Hart suffered serious back injuries which required surgery and a grueling physical therapy routine.

Kevin Hart's got a good thing going ... and he appears to be trying to spread those vibes wherever he goes.

We got Kevin out with his wife, Eniko, Tuesday after the 2 went shopping at the luxury boutique, Maxfield, in WeHo ... and he's his usual upbeat self as we ask him some questions about coming back from his car accident.

Hart's train of thought is momentarily interrupted while he and Eniko determine how to pay the valet ... but Kev ultimately settles on $100 from his stack of Benjamins.

Back to his recovery ... Hart tells us he's not returned to form physically yet, but he's working every day to get better and says he has some time off before he goes back to work to focus on it.

He also has a sense of humor about the injuries he suffered a couple months ago ... just watch how he gets into his sports car.

As we've reported ... Kevin's been preaching lately about appreciating life and focusing on the important things, and his chat with us echoes that sentiment.

It's not like Kevin Hart wants paps to hold hands and sing 'Kumbaya' ... but he would like for peeps to focus on important things instead of stuff like safely operating a motor vehicle.

The comedian was out Monday in WeHo leaving a studio where he looked like a man on a mission. But, he was clearly riled by questions about his car crash.

Kevin scoffed at a question about safety regulations on muscle cars -- installing safety harnesses. As we reported, Kevin's 1970 Plymouth Barracuda did not have harnesses and no one in the car had a seat belt on at the time of the crash. Nevertheless, Kevin wants peeps to focus on living life and things that matter ... laughter and love. His words.

As we reported ... Kevin made his first public appearance since his car wreck more than 2 months ago ... accepting the Comedy Act Award at the People's Choice Awards Sunday night. He got the award for his Netflix special, "Irresponsible."

David Foster's taking a trip down memory lane -- or rather, the Pacific Coast Highway -- 'cause he wants to revisit his scary accident when he hit "Roots" actor Ben Vereen.

TMZ has learned that the Grammy-winning producer and composer's camp recently made a formal records request from the LAPD from his June 12, 1992 accident ... when he accidentally crashed his car into Vereen as he was walking on PCH near their Malibu homes.

As for why ... sources connected to David tell us, he and his team are considering using the information in a new documentary about his life, called "David Foster: Off the Record." It's not a given anything he gets from the L.A. Officials will make it in the final cut that gets released in the U.S. -- but we're told the doc's director wants to review the deets for a fresh view.

Doesn't look like David's gonna get the 911 call from cops though -- his request was denied by the department, 'cause they say they don't have it ... referring him to L.A. Fire instead.

If you don't remember, David was cruising down PCH one night when Vereen wandered into the road out of nowhere, causing Dave's Chevy to strike him and put him in the hospital. He ended up suffering a broken leg -- and DF was never criminally charged for the crash.

As for how David handled the crash at the time ... a transcript of the 911 call shows he actually carried himself with grace, compassion and relative composure. He told the operator that he had to try stopping other oncoming cars out of fear Vereen would be hit again.

Kevin Hart's getting back on his feet ... and he's got the support of Hollywood behind him.

Kevin made his first public appearance since his scary car wreck more than 2 months ago, to accept the Comedy Act Award at the E! People's Choice Awards Sunday night for his Netflix special, 'Irresponsible.'

The crowd gave Hart a standing ovation as he came out, and Robert Downey Jr. handed him the award.

Kevin said ... "First and foremost, man, thank God because I definitely don't have to be here." He went on to say he appreciates life more now after his accident, especially the things that really matter -- like his wife and kids.

Hart also thanked the people for their energy and support during his difficult time, saying ... "You have no idea the effect you have on us as entertainers."

As you know, Kevin was involved in a single-car crash on September 1 with 2 other people, and suffered serious injuries along with the driver. Hart's 3 spinal fractures required serious rehab and physical therapy ... which he recently updated his fans about.

Kevin Hart is recovering so well from his car crash .... he's now hitting the town!!!

Kevin and his wife, Eniko, rolled up to Mr. Chow Friday night in Bev Hills for a little grub. You wouldn't know he suffered grizzly back injuries from the accident back in September.

Kevin underwent surgery for 3 fractures, went to a live-in rehab facility for a while and then began intensive rehab at home. Nevertheless, he's made remarkable progress.

Kevin's even gone back to work -- not fully, but still ... he's done promotional shoots for 'Jumanji' and is keeping the schedule he set before the accident. We're told he has downtime so he's not missing any shoots.

Jessi Combs -- the "Fastest Woman on Four Wheels" -- crashed her jet-car because her front wheel gave out.

According to the Harney County Sheriff's Office ... the front wheel of Jessi's jet-powered car suffered a mechanical failure before her fatal crash, and the front wheel assembly most likely collapsed as a result of hitting an object during her attempt at breaking her own land-speed record.

The Sheriff released the findings Monday after completing an investigation into the crash ... and they say the front wheel failed when Jessi's jet-car reached around 550 miles per hour.

Jessi's cause of death was also determined to be blunt force trauma to the head, which the Sheriff says occurred before her race vehicle was engulfed in flames following the crash.

As we reported ... Jessi's jet-powered car crashed and killed her in August in the Alvord Desert in Oregon. Photos of the wreckage showed her 56-foot-long jet-car -- the North American Eagle -- completely destroyed, and the footage we obtained shows her traveling at incredible speeds before the crash.

Kevin Hart must enjoy living dangerously, 'cause he's already getting into another muscle car similar to the one that nearly killed him ... seemingly without a safety harness, at that.

The comedian was out at a shopping plaza Saturday in Calabasas with a friend, where it looks like he was sent out to make a food run. He ran into a pap on the way out -- walking on his own two feet, no less, and looking pretty solid -- and gave the guy a health update.

Kevin says he's grateful to be alive, and that he'll be getting back to work slow and steady ... seems he's in no rush to get on the grind again, enjoying time with his fam.

Then comes a pretty eyebrow raising moment ... Kevin walks to his car -- a 1969 Camaro, he tells the photog -- and gets in the driver's seat ... and then pulls away like it's nothing.

Even more troubling ... it doesn't clearly look like he pulls a shoulder harness over himself, at least from the angle we're seeing here -- which is a straight-on shot through the windshield. We looked into it, and shoulder belts were a rarity in the '69 model. Lap belts were there, but not all these old cars had the newly-enforced safety harness all cars have today.

Obviously, this is a big deal for a couple different reasons. The fact that Kevin's driving at all should be a little worrying, but driving another souped-up oldie like this might as well be a death wish, considering what he just went through about a month ago with the crash.

Remember, Kevin's 1970 Plymouth Barracuda also didn't have safety harnesses. Had they been there ... we're told it could've helped alleviate the injuries Kevin and co. endured.

It's a real miracle nobody from the band Crazy Town was seriously hurt after its tour van crashed head-on with a moose ... and images of the aftermath are chilling.

The band tells TMZ ... frontman Seth Binzer, guitarist Elias Tannous and drummer Roland Banks were among the passengers in a van driving down Route 17 in Ontario, Canada just after midnight Thursday when, all of a sudden, it collided with a female moose.

You can see from the video the front side of the van is completely demolished ... with the moose leaving a massive dent -- hood, grill and windshield crushed -- after making impact.

We're told the band escaped serious injuries, but you can see how dazed they were in the seconds after the crash. They were treated by paramedics for cuts and bruises. As for the moose ... unfortunately, it died on impact. This time of year, moose are in heat and these kinds of accidents are sad but common in Canada.

In fact, the band -- best known for its 2000 mega-hit, "Butterfly" -- told us the tow truck company said this was the 5th moose this month alone to be struck by a vehicle on the road.

The only saving grace for the band is probably that they struck a female moose. They're enormous, no doubt ... but full-grown males are much bigger.

Crazy Town eventually hopped into a new van to continue its tour across Canada.

Kevin Hart is speaking out and giving fans a glimpse into his road to recovery for the first time since sustaining a serious back injury in his L.A. car crash.

Hart -- who underwent back surgery -- after the early September crash holds little back in a video posted Tuesday night. He shows scenes of himself in a hospital bed, being assisted by nurses and using a walker just to stand up.

Throughout the video, Kevin slowly regains his strength ... revealing his intensive physical therapy routine ... with everything from weight training to pool workouts.

Kevin also talks throughout the video ... sharing a powerful message of determination. He states he believes the accident was God's way of telling him to slow down, and appreciate life for what it really is.

He also takes the time to thank his family, friends and those who have stood by him through it all ... saying, "My appreciation for life is through the roof," and, "Don't take today for granted, because tomorrow is not promised."

The video concludes with a scene of Kevin chatting with one of his doctors who tells him it'll be about a year for a full recovery, but judging by what Kevin's done already ... it seems he's well on his way.

Kevin Hart appears to be sparing the driver of a nasty car wreck that nearly killed him  -- because we've learned he isn't planning to take the guy to court.

Sources close to the comedian tell TMZ ... Kevin does not intend to sue driver Jared Black, whom the CHP determined caused the crash by driving recklessly. In fact, we're told Kevin's not even going to file a claim with Jared's insurance company to cover his medical bills and the cost of the 1970 Plymouth Baraccuda, which was totaled in the single-car crash.

Our sources say Kevin likes Jared and Jared's fiancee is close to Kevin's wife, Eniko. The fiancee, Rebecca, is Eniko's personal trainer.

We're told Kevin will use his personal health insurance to cover medical costs. It's not like he needs the money. It's unclear whether he's just going to write off the value of the car.

The medical bills are going to be huge. Kevin had surgery for 3 fractures on his back and is undergoing intensive therapy. All of that put the medical bills in the stratosphere.

Here's the kicker... we're told that Jared himself has lawyered up, and could file suit against Kevin for not having the proper safety harnesses in the car. If he does sue, there's a problem, because no one in the car was even wearing their safety belt. So, even if there were harnesses, it wouldn't have done anyone any good if no one strapped in.