Car Crashes

Eli Cramer -- a Milligan University track star -- was tragically killed after he was struck by a car while running in Virginia on Thursday.

He was only 20 years old.

The Virginia State Police confirms to TMZ Sports that five members of the cross country team were running along Williamsburg Pottery Road around 6:02 PM when three of them were hit by a Scion.

The driver -- identified as Jose Efrain Hernandez Mancia -- allegedly tried to flee the scene, but ended up crashing into a median on Route 199.

The injured Milligan track team members were transported to the Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center ... with two of the athletes suffering minor to serious injuries. Cramer, however, passed away as a result of his injuries.

Alex Mortimer -- one of the injured victims -- released a video from his hospital bed after the horrific crash saying he had a broken leg and a dislocated shoulder.

"I wanna exhort and thank you all for praying for me, the Milligan team and the university and institution," Mortimer said.

"Moments like this make you realize what is and is not important in your life."

Cramer was a star on the track at Milligan ... just last month, he ran a sub 15 minute 5K (14:30.46) in the Rams College Invitational.

FYI, that's well under a 5-minute mile pace.

"He held a contagious energy that was integral to his team and our campus community," the university said in a statement.

"Please continue to pray for Cramer's family as they begin to make sense of yesterday's tragedy. Pray for our entire cross country/track & field team, their coaches and our entire community."

26-year-old Mancia was arrested and charged with DUI-1st offense, DUI-involuntary manslaughter, reckless driving, one felony count of hit-and-run, DUI-maiming and refusing to submit a breath/blood sample.

"Anchorman" star David Koechner has been charged with DUI and hit-and-run ... following his arrest on New Year's Eve that had him ringing in the new year behind bars.

The Ventura County DA's office tells us ... they've charged the actor with one count of DUI and one count of hit-and-run -- both charges are misdemeanors.

We're told Koechner's case is due in court in a few weeks, and each count carries a possible penalty of up to 6 months behind bars. The reality ... first-time offenders almost never do time, so he'll almost certainly get probation and a mandatory alcohol ed course.

As we reported  ... police were tipped off after they got a call that an erratic driver allegedly hit a street sign with his car. Cops found him and say he failed the field sobriety test. He was arrested and booked into the Ventura County Jail.

Paul Walker's sunglasses from his fatal car crash are changing hands ... and Zak Bagans wants to get them back to the late actor's family.

The "Ghost Adventures" star tells TMZ ... earlier this year he bought the infamous pair of Maui Jim sunglasses recovered from Paul's crash site, but he doesn't feel comfortable displaying them at his Haunted Museum in Las Vegas.

Instead, Zak tells us he'd like to return the shades, worn by Paul at the time of the crash, to the Walker family for free ... and he's planning to reach out to the family directly.

You'll recall ... Paul died in a fiery car crash back in November 2013 and there was a ton of outrage when the sunglasses went up for auction in 2014 for $15,000. A man who was at the crash site allegedly found them in the bushes once the wreckage was cleared.

The man who found the glasses says shortly after the crash he tried getting in touch with Paul's family but never heard back. He then put the sunglasses up for auction, but after lots of backlash ... they never sold. The owner of the auction reached out to Zak earlier this year and Zak bought them from him.

If for some reason the Walkers don't want the sunglasses, Zak says he would seek the family's permission to display them in a new memorial exhibit at his museum.

Zak's already displaying different artifacts connected to dead celebs ... including a piece of the James Dean death car, Sharon Tate's wedding dress and a Patrick Swayze tooth ... but he says he would create a special display just for Paul, if it gets to that point.

Here's further proof that Tiger Woods might actually be competing in next week's Masters ... his good buddy, Rory McIlroy, just said the golf legend "looked great" in his practice round at Augusta on Tuesday.

Tiger flew into Georgia to get some hacks in at the course just a few days before the event kicks off next week ... and according to Rory, Woods has made significant strides since the last time he saw the 46-year-old.

"He looked great," Rory said. "But he was still pretty -- you know, he was just like, 'I'm just seeing what's going to happen here. I'm going to see if I can make it around 18.'"

Tiger has yet to commit to playing in the prestigious golf event -- which he's won five times in his career -- reportedly using this week to see if his surgically repaired leg can hold up for a weekend of competition.

Rory said Tiger appeared to be undecided about it all on Tuesday ... explaining to the Golf Channel, "He's being very conservative."

Tiger still has several days left before he needs to make a commitment.

As we reported, Tiger broke his leg in a car crash in February 2021, and needed several surgeries to repair the damage. He's only golfed at one big tournament -- the PNC Championship with his son -- since the accident.

Apple Watts, former star of "Love & Hip Hop," is still fighting for her life after a violent car crash sent her to the hospital with severe injuries.

Sources close to Apple tell TMZ ... the wreck left her with 2 breaks in her neck, a shattered arm and a brain injury. While we're told she's able to breathe on her own, she's still getting oxygen in hopes it helps with the healing process.

We're told she still has not opened her eyes or been able to verbally communicate. Doctors are doing what they can ... she underwent a successful surgery Tuesday night on her neck.

As we reported, Apple was driving on the freeway last week in Baker, CA when her Mercedes collided with a Ford F250 pickup truck. Her car flipped multiple times, bursting into flames before it came to a stop.

The 36-year-old was pulled from the wreckage by the passenger of the truck and was life-flighted to a hospital in Nevada to be treated for her injuries.

One of the first people on the scene of the Henry Ruggs crash is providing new, horrifying details of the wreck ... saying he thought the NFL star was dead after he saw the football player "dangling" from his car in the moments after the accident.

Tony Rodriguez -- who was driving on Rainbow Road with a friend in Las Vegas just moments after Ruggs slammed his Corvette into Tina Tintor's Rav4 there back in November 2021 -- recounted the terrifying specifics of the night recently to Sports Illustrated.

Rodriguez told SI reporter Jeff Pearlman that as he approached the two wrecked vehicles just seconds after the collision -- he stopped at Ruggs' car first ... and noticed the former Las Vegas Raider was halfway ejected from his sports car.

Rodriguez said Ruggs' lower body was still in the ride, but his torso was "dangling" outside of it. He said he was going to tell Ruggs' girlfriend, who was a passenger in the Corvette, to leave him be, but said she had already begun pulling the wide receiver out.

"She grabbed him and pulled him fully out," Rodriguez said. "I have no idea who he is. I don't care about football. Never heard of Henry Ruggs. But, I didn't see no life in his body."

"I thought he was dead."

Rodriguez said he and his friend then quickly turned to Tintor's vehicle -- and tried their hardest to get her and her dog, Max, out of the burning car.

Rodriguez said he got a hammer from his truck and tried to break her free -- and even though others arrived to help, none could get her out.

Officials later determined Tintor died inside the car from thermal injuries. She was just 23 years old.

Ruggs, meanwhile, suffered injuries in the crash, but is expected to make a full recovery. He's since been hit with five charges -- including four felonies -- for his alleged role in the crash.

Former "Love & Hip Hop" star, Apple Watts, is fighting for her life after she was involved in a serious car accident -- leaving her vehicle in flames and her in a hospital.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Watts was headed Northbound on I-15 Wednesday in Baker, CA ... when her black Mercedes and a Ford F250 pickup truck collided. We're told Watts' car flipped multiple times, and burst into flames when it came to a stop.

Cops say one of the passengers inside the F250 was able to pull Watts out of her burning vehicle ... and she was life-flighted to a Nevada hospital, where she's being treated for "major injuries."

At this time, it's unknown what caused the accident ... or if drugs or alcohol played a role in the vehicles colliding.

Jordan Hook, the victim in a viral Tesla stunt, says the crash isn't just taking a toll on himself and his car, it has his neighbors scared too, and it's time for the perp to fess up.

He says whoever was behind the wheel needs to come back and take a look at who they've affected ... grousing someone shouldn't just walk away from a wreck that bad.

Check out the vid ... the Tesla launches in the air as it approaches the street ... straight out of an action film. On its descent, the car hits a couple of trash cans and a car, before crashing into the back of Jordan's Subaru.

Jordan started a GoFundMe to help get a new car ... and he's already raised thousands ... but it hasn't all been roses -- internet trolls are now taking aim at him.

Jordan says he's been viciously attacked online ever since the fundraiser began ... people have been sending him direct messages claiming he's a horrible person for taking money from donors when insurance is going to cover the loss. Fact is, Jordan has no idea if insurance is going to cover any of the damages.

The largest donation he's received so far comes from YouTuber Alex Choi ... who ironically filmed the Tesla crashing into Jordan's Subaru. The video now has over 1 million views ... and Jordan's not happy about it, saying Alex misrepresented a lot about what went down.

Cops are desperate to get info on the driver involved in a now-viral video of a Tesla flying over a residential street, resulting in a dramatic collision ... offering a cash reward for their identity.

The video looks like a movie stunt, shot in Echo Park over the weekend, with the car driving full speed up over a hill and flying through the air. The LAPD calls the incident a misdemeanor hit and run ... and posting a $1,000 reward to anyone with info on the driver's whereabouts.

LAPD says, "the rental driver of a black 2018 Tesla S-BLM decided to perform a dangerous stunt, at Baxter Street and Alvarado Street, where he collided with several trash cans and two parked vehicles."

The Tesla was destroyed as a result, and a parked Subaru suffered major damage to the rear.

The event spread on social media after bystanders posted their footage online. While rumors about the mystery driver have circulated, police say they have "no description of the driver, and the Tesla was abandoned at the scene."

The incident reportedly occurred during a Tesla meet-up event, organized online.

The University of the Southwest golf team van was involved in a fatal traffic crash following a competition in Texas ... and 7 passengers -- 6 students and the coach -- were tragically killed, the school announced.

The accident happened Tuesday night in Andrews County, West Texas ... when a passenger van carrying both the men's and women's teams collided head-on with a Ford F-150 truck.

Two students were airlifted to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. Officials have not announced any additional details surrounding the crash.

Sgt. Steven Blanco of the Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed to KWES-TV there were fatalities in both vehicles, but the total number of deaths hadn't been confirmed at the time of his comments.

University president Quint Thurman released a statement on the tragedy ... saying, "We are still learning the details about the accident, but we are devastated and deeply saddened to learn about the loss of our students' lives and their coach."

Tyler James, who was in his first year as H.C. of the men's and women's team, passed away.

USW's Athletic Director, Steve Appel, tells TMZ Sports there were nine passengers in the van at the time of the accident.

"The USW campus community is shocked and saddened today as we mourn the loss of members of our university family," Appel said. "Last night, the men’s and women’s golf teams were traveling back to campus from competition in Midland, Texas, when their bus was struck by oncoming traffic."

"While the accident investigation is still underway, reports indicate that seven passengers aboard the bus were killed in the crash. Two of the passengers are in critical condition undergoing medical treatment in Lubbock, Texas."

"USW is coordinating with Texas DPS to assist with the investigation and public information efforts. University administration is communicating with families of the students and coaching staff to provide more information as it becomes available."

The Washington Commanders have cut Deshazor Everett ... three months after his alleged role in a fatal December car crash.

The team announced the roster move on Wednesday -- though it's unclear if his legal case had anything to do with the decision.

As we reported, authorities say Everett was going over 90 mph in a 45 mph zone just before he crashed his Nissan GT-R in Virginia on Dec. 23.

The accident was so bad, it ultimately killed his passenger, Olivia Peters. In 911 audio, obtained by TMZ Sports, a witness at the scene said the wrecked car was "trapped in the trees."

Following weeks of investigating, authorities hit Everett with a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter in February -- and records show he's due in court for a hearing on the matter in June.

Everett had been a key player for the Commanders, he was a team captain who played in 89 games for Washington in seven seasons.

Pete Alonso wasn't exaggerating -- he's seriously lucky to be alive today ... because video his wife just shared of his Sunday car crash shows the Mets star's truck was a mangled mess after being hit.

Haley Alonso posted the footage on her social media page Monday, revealing Pete's truck came to a halt on its side after it rolled over several times in a wild wreck in Tampa, Fla. over the weekend.

"A distracted driver ran a red light going at an extremely fast rate and hit directly into Pete’s truck," Haley said in the caption on the videos.

"I was in my car following behind him and saw the whole thing happen in front of me. Once the car struck the side of his truck, it flipped 3 times and slid into where you see it in these videos."

In the clips, you can see Pete's axel was ripped off his car during the accident ... and his front windshield was also cracked and kicked out.

Haley said the whole thing was completely terrifying.

"I screamed for him just hoping that he’d be able to answer me," Haley said. "He said he was ok and was going to kick out the windshield to escape since he was trapped. He got himself out and to everyone's shock, only had a single scratch on his arm."

"It's a miracle that he's safe after this horrifying of an accident. I thought I watched my husband die in front of me and I will never forget that feeling."

Pete told media members earlier on Monday that he was somehow unharmed in the crash -- and even took part in baseball drills earlier in the day.

MLB superstar Pete Alonso says he was nearly killed in a horrifying car crash on Sunday -- but, thankfully, he said he's doing just fine now.

The New York Mets slugger explained the terrifying situation to media members out at spring training in Port St. Lucie, Fla. on Monday ... saying he was T-boned in Tampa by a man who ran a red light.

"Yesterday was a really close experience to death," the 27-year-old said. "My car flipped over probably about three times."

The first baseman added, "I'm really thankful to be alive."

Alonso said he had to kick out his windshield in order to escape the rolled-over car ... though he said somehow he was able to do baseball activities on Monday.

Alonso said the people in the other car were OK ... and he added his family -- including his wife who was in a car trailing him just before the crash -- is doing fine as well.

"I'm really thankful that I'm healthy," Alonso said. "I'm very thankful to be here ... I'm just super, super blessed to be here."

An L.A. TV reporter was doing a story about a tragic hit-and-run accident, and what played out behind him is just crazy.

KTLA reporter Gene Kang was in South L.A., doing a story on a fatal crash at a dangerous intersection, when 2 cars behind him get into a gnarly accident. You see one of the cars bolting from the scene. In other words, it's a hit-and-run in the middle of a story about a hit-and-run.

Kang said afterward, "Our security guard Walter Mann yelled 'get back' and we moved as the car came racing towards us. It veered away at the last second and T-boned the car."

The driver of the car that left the scene may want to throw himself at the mercy of authorities, because his/her license plate fell off the car.

Antonio Brown might want to reconsider the dark black mask he's been wearing around lately ... because it might have just cost him some paint on his pricey Ferrari.

The NFL star was leaving Craig's in Los Angeles on Thursday night ... when he decided to drive away in his fancy sports car in a mask that could not have been easy to see through.

Turns out, the choice of headwear was a pretty poor decision ... because you can see in video of his exit, after he flipped off photogs, he struggled to steer the Ferrari, and ended up driving it straight into a curb.

Footage shows the bottom of Brown's car nicked the cement -- and it was so apparent, one bystander actually yelled at the former Tampa Bay Buccaneer to stop going forward.

"Your car!" a woman can be heard screaming. "Sweetheart!"

Brown eventually got the Ferrari going the right way -- but check out the clip, it's clear he was having trouble moving the ride around while in his mask.

As for a potential bill for the ride's bumper -- it certainly won't be cheap if it is indeed damaged -- the Ferrari 488 he was cruising around in can cost over $330,000!!!

Former Univ. of Kentucky men's basketball star Tyler Ulis was injured in a scary head-on crash this weekend ... but his dad says, thankfully, he is expected to make a full recovery.

James Ulis told the Lexington Herald-Leader on Monday that Tyler was driving from Detroit to Toledo on Saturday morning ... when a woman ran into Tyler while the two drivers were going roughly 70 MPH.

James said his son suffered a broken ankle in the crash as well as a cut on his leg and a scratch on his face ... but somehow avoided complete catastrophe.

"It was a tough one," James said, "but thank God he is alive."

James added that Tyler is expected to undergo surgery to repair his ankle on Wednesday .. but otherwise is "actually good considering what he went through."

Tyler's former coach with the Wildcats, John Calipari, tweeted his well-wishes to his ex-point guard following news of the accident ... saying, "We've been in touch, but let's send some prayers, #BBN. He's had some setbacks and fate has intervened a few different times."

"I'm here for you @tulis3 until the wheels fall off!!"

Tyler starred at UK for two seasons in 2014 and 2015, and earned consensus first-team All-American honors following the 2015 season. He went on to be picked by the Phoenix Suns in the second round of the 2016 NBA Draft.