Car Crashes

Leslie Jordan was about to do what he loved, acting and making people laugh, in his final moments -- he was on his way to set when he died behind the wheel ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the late actor tell us Leslie was scheduled to film for "Call Me Kat" Monday morning, but people working on the show became concerned when Leslie hadn't arrived more than an hour after his call time.

From there, our sources say there was a scramble to find Leslie -- and the cast and crew eventually discovered he'd been involved in a car accident.

TMZ broke the story ... Leslie was driving his BMW in Hollywood when investigators believe he suffered some sort of medical emergency, and crashed into the side of a building.

Sources close to the actor tell us he'd been complaining of shortness of breath the last 3 weeks, and was so concerned about the issue he'd actually had an appointment scheduled with a cardiologist.

Sadly, that was supposed to happen sometime in the coming week.

While it's unclear if that appointment would have discovered any underlying health issues for Leslie, investigators' current operating theory is he suffered a heart attack while driving.

Leslie's "Call Me Kat" costar Mayim Bialik posted a sweet tribute to the actor, writing, "They broke the mold when they made Leslie Jordan. He was a dear mentor and a beloved friend. I will miss him so much - it’s unimaginable that he’s gone. Rest well, sweet buddy."

Leslie Jordan was coping with discomfort in the weeks leading up to his death -- a health issue that was concerning enough for him to make an appointment with a cardiologist ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the late actor tell TMZ ... for the last 3 weeks, he was experiencing shortness of breath. We're told Leslie was scheduled to see a cardiologist within the next week to check out his heart, and see if there were any underlying health issues.

Other than that, we're told Leslie was generally healthy ... but did have COVID last year.

We've spoken to law enforcement sources who tell us they believe Leslie suffered a heart attack prior to crashing his BMW Monday into a building in Hollywood.

Tributes have poured in for the 67-year-old since TMZ broke the news of his death, including from Dolly Parton who said, "Leslie and I had a special bond, I think the world felt they had a special bond with him. I know people always say, 'Oh, they will be missed' but in this case that could not be more true."

Kim Plath, star of TLC's "Welcome to Plathville," has been arrested for DUI ... following a gnarly crash a few months back that cops say sent her straight to the hospital.

According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, cops arrived at the scene of an accident in Florida In June, finding Kim's vehicle flipped upside down, in a ditch filled with water.

Police say Kim was notably intoxicated after the incident, with the smell of booze coming from her mouth -- the report says she was then taken to a nearby hospital so her injuries could get looked at.

After an initial inspection by cops, Kim was simply charged with careless driving, but investigators got a blood sample, and waited months for the results.

Her lab results came back in September according to the report, revealing she was in fact under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash.

James Bouknight was unconscious for an hour before cops were finally able to wake up the Charlotte Hornets guard ... but the ordeal didn't end there, 'cause law enforcement says the hooper refused to get out of his Mercedes and even crashed into two squad cars before finally being placed under arrest for DWI.

The details of the arrest are all spelled out in court docs ... and it's clear cops had a helluva time waking up the former UConn star. Police say they tried numerous tactics for about an hour, including using a PA system and an air horn.

Once he finally came to, cops say the 22-year-old refused to get out of his car for several minutes, and instead sat in his driver's seat, eating.

As TMZ Sports previously reported, while asleep, Bouknight had a Glock 23 handgun in his lap. The weapon was visible in a photograph obtained and posted by us.

Police say James moved his car forward, hitting a cop car in front of him, before reversing and hitting another squad car behind him.

Finally, cops say Bouknight complied and exited the car, where he was arrested.

The docs say Bouknight claimed he took four shots of tequila before driving home early Sunday morning. He later took a breathalyzer and blew a .14. The limit in North Carolina is .08.

JB apologized for the arrest on Tuesday, saying ... “Honestly, I just wanted to apologize for being a distraction before the start of the season, for my teammates and for what we’ve got going on.”

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Kyzir White has been sued, TMZ Sports has learned ... after a man claims he caused a serious car crash in Los Angeles back in 2021.

Christopher Merced filed the suit on Tuesday ... just over 13 months after he says White slammed into his 2019 Chevrolet Silverado during a bad accident on the I-105, a popular L.A. freeway.

Merced claims he was driving in the far right lane of the highway on September 3, 2021, when traffic forced him to come to a stop. But, in his lawsuit, he says White didn't see it all, merged into his lane while going over 40 MPH, and plowed into him.

Merced says he believes White was either distracted or impaired, claiming White "did not make any effort to slow down or stop."

In the lawsuit, Merced claims he sustained serious and permanent injuries as a result of the crash.

He's suing for unspecified damages.

This is not the first time White -- a former L.A. Charger -- has run into problems on Southern California roadways ... back in 2020, he was charged with a misdemeanor count of reckless driving after he allegedly went 100 MPH and made an unsafe turning movement.

A$AP Bari may have moved past his Miami car crash by scooping up a brand new Maybach, but the other guy involved sure hasn’t -- he's now suing the rapper.

A$AP Bari, whose real name is Jabari Shelton, has been hit with a lawsuit over the crash that happened back in July.

According to legal docs obtained by TMZ Hip Hop ... the A$AP Mob co-founder was driving his Mercedes-Benz "carelessly, recklessly, and negligently" when his car collided with another vehicle driven by a guy named Jorge Baez.

As you can see, the car was banged up pretty badly.

Jorge's lawyer, Jared Newman tells TMZ ... the accident left Baez with serious injuries and a bunch of medical bills. He's suing for more than $30K in damages.

As we've reported ... Kanye West gifted Bari a new Mercedes Maybach SUV just days after the wreck.

Jared says, "It was nice of Kanye West to buy A$AP Bari a new Maybach and enable him to move on like nothing happened, but something did happen and A$AP Bari must pay for his negligence."

Jesse Williams, the star of an upcoming Broadway play, "Take Me Out," is pleading with a judge to cut him a break, so COVID doesn't take him out.

You see, Jesse is being sued over a car crash and the lawyer for the other driver has subpoenaed the actor to sit for a deposition. Jesse is afraid the close quarters during the depo will expose him to the virus. If he gets sick, well he'll violate the Broadway mantra, "The show must go on!" In other words, if there's no Jesse, there's no play.

It's not that Jesse doesn't want his depo taken -- he's more than willing to do it over Zoom -- but he says an in-person depo is just too risky.

As for the lawsuit, as we reported ... the woman in the other car claims the "Grey's Anatomy" star rear-ended her and then fled the scene.

The investigation into the death of 16-year-old Kiely Rodni has wrapped, with results concluding she accidentally drowned in her vehicle after it was driven into a lake.

The Nevada Co. Sheriff's Office released Rodni's autopsy report Thursday, which says, "descendent drown in a lake while inside her vehicle." What's more ... the documents, obtained by TMZ, state there was no indication of foul play in Kiely's death.

As for the toxicology results, Rodni had both THC and ethanol in her system -- though the ethanol could have been a process of decomposition.

It was back in August when Kiely first went missing after attending a party up near Lake Tahoe, California. About two weeks later, Kiely's vehicle was found by a team of YouTube divers submerged in 14 feet of water with her body inside.

David Schumacher -- the nephew of racing icon Michael Schumacher -- suffered a broken spine during a terrifying crash in Germany, his family announced on Thursday.

The scene was tough to watch -- David's Mercedes-AMG GT3 crashed during the final round of the 2022 DTM season at Hockenheim ... after his car crashed into fellow racer Thomas Preining as the two were battling for seventh into Turn 8.

Ralf Schumacher, David's father, shared the update with German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) ... saying his son has to wear a corset due to the accident but won't require surgery.

"When David came home, he was still complaining of back pain," Ralf Schumacher told the outlet. "We then decided to go to a hospital in Salzburg to have an MRI done."

David will be sidelined for at least six weeks.

The crash sparked a chain reaction -- causing Ricardo Feller to hit the back of Dennis Olsen's Porsche ... and prompting officials to red-flag the session.

David was taken to the hospital after the accident, where preliminary scans revealed that he suffered a scraped knee and bruising to his lumbar spine.

The crash ended David's season and any hopes he had of competing in the title decider at the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters last Sunday.

The family of Willie Spence, the "American Idol" runner-up who died in a Tennessee car accident, doesn't think alcohol played a role -- instead, their alternate theory centers around his weekend activity.

Family sources tell TMZ ... Willie was leaving Tennessee State University's homecoming weekend when the crash happened, and while some have speculated he was driving drunk, his family says the late singer wasn't a drinker, so that doesn't track.

The accident took place during the day, not late at night ... another reason why they think he wasn't fresh out of leaving some big party.

However, we're told it was a long weekend for Willie -- one that might've left him severely fatigued, and the family's fear is he fell asleep at the wheel.

Police have yet to determine an official cause for the accident or his death.

Willie's family tells us he was on his way back to Atlanta to meet with an organization that helps abused and trafficked women ... a partnership he excitedly told his mother about the day before the fatal accident.

Victor Steeman -- a professional motorcycle rider -- has died after a violent crash in a championship race on Saturday. He was only 22.

The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme confirmed the sad news on Tuesday ... saying Steeman passed away after suffering severe injuries from a multi-rider incident at Turn 14 of the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship’s Race 1 in Portugal.

"Medical personnel and vehicles arrived at the site immediately and the rider was attended to trackside and at the circuit medical centre before being transferred by helicopter to Faro Hospital," FIM said.

"Despite the best efforts of the circuit’s medical staff, marshals and hospital staff, Steeman has sadly succumbed to his injuries."

Steeman -- who rode for the MTM Kawasaki team -- began his career in World Supersport 300 full-time in 2019 ... and racked up four wins, five podiums, and three pole positions this season.

In fact, the Dutch rider made history with the most pole positions in the World Supersport 300 class at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

Steeman's family said they feared for Victor's life when he joined the sport ... saying, "Something you have always been afraid of as a parent of a motorcycle racer has now happened."

"Our Victor could not win this last race."

His family says Steeman is a true hero through his passing ... as he was able to save five lives by donating his organs.

"We would like to thank everyone for the way you have lived with us over the past few days. We will miss our Victor enormously.”

"American Idol" runner-up Willie Spence has died in a car crash ... a relative confirms to TMZ.

The singer was in Tennessee Tuesday when the crash took place ... although specifics of the accident have yet to be released.

Willie posted a video just hours before the crash ... doing what he does best -- singing his heart out. Douglas Now was first to report the story.

Fans of the show remember Willie blowing the judges away in season 19, and making it all the way to the finale ... singing hits like "A Change is Gonna Come" and "Georgia on My Mind." He ended up coming in 2nd place behind Chayce Beckham.

There's been an outpouring of love for Willie since his passing ... Katharine McPhee of 'AI' fame expressed her heartbreak -- saying, "God rest your soul Willie. It was a pleasure to sing with you and to know you."

The 2 performed a duet together during his time on season 19.

Producer Randall Emmett also left a message for Willie, writing "I was lucky to have him sing for me live at my home and other events, I will miss you my friend. I know you touched so many of us."

He was 23.

RIP

Bad news for Justin Herbert ...

Myles Garrett will be back in action for the Cleveland Browns on Sunday -- the NFL star is slated to be a full participant against the Los Angeles Chargers ... just 13 days after getting in a terrifying car accident.

The 26-year-old confirmed the news on Friday ... saying he's feeling good and doesn't believe the bicep and shoulder injuries he suffered during the crash will hold him back at all.

It's amazing news for the Browns ... who certainly missed their All-Pro defensive end in a devastating 23-20 loss to the Atlanta Falcons during Week 4.

As we previously reported, Garrett told cops he believed he was driving around 65 MPH in a 45 zone when he flipped his Porsche 911 Turbo S ... and was issued a citation.

Myles Garrett is back on the football field ... just over one week after his terrifying car crash in Ohio.

The Cleveland Browns superstar was seen doing drills during team practice on Wednesday ... and you can tell the guy was hyped about putting on the pads once again.

The media at the Browns' training facility recorded the defensive end warming up and participating in individual defensive drills.

Ashley Bastock of Cleveland.Com said the 26-year-old even winked at the camera during his workout.

This is definitely a good look for Garrett ... especially since the three-time Pro Bowler suffered a shoulder and bicep strain after his Porsche 911 Turbo S flipped multiple times in a vicious crash last Monday.

Garrett -- who was cited for the accident -- says he was with a female passenger in Sharon Township, Medina County when he was speeding at 65 MPH in the 45 zone ... and confessed that this incident was a "wake-up call".

"Just trying to be smart overall with driving," Garrett said to the media last week. "Don't take it for granted ... You know, just take my time."

Three Florida teens stole a Maserati and drove at warp speed to elude cops, until the car flipped over and crashed, killing one of the occupants, this according to a new police video.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office released helicopter footage, tracking the teens' every move from start to finish during Sunday's INSANE wreck in St. Petersburg.

In the video, the teens are seen walking up to the parked Maserati and slipping inside the unlocked vehicle, not knowing they're being watched from above. The police were in the area on an unrelated robbery call and saw them acting suspiciously.

The kids take off in the car and drive down the street first at a moderate speed as two police SUVs begin to follow them, trying to pull them over.

Suddenly, the Maserati zooms off, hitting speeds of 123 MPH ... leaving cops in the dust. Over the radio, a sergeant orders the SUV officers not to pursue the fast-moving car.

About 20 seconds later, the Maserati loses control and hydroplanes across the road, hitting a curb and flipping over onto the hood as debris flies everywhere.

15-year-old passenger Mario Bonilla died at the scene. Driver Keondrick Lang, also 15, and passenger Malachi Daniels, 16, were hospitalized. Both are expected to survive.

Tory Lanez allegedly ran into a woman's car -- and the driver was pregnant -- and then took off ... that is, if you believe a lawsuit she's now filed against him.

The rapper is being sued by a couple named Krisha and Jesse Grullon, who claim he sideswiped them with his luxury vehicle in Miami during New Year's Day 2021 ... only to then allegedly flee the scene without even checking on them.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, the Grullons allege they exited a highway and stopped at a red light at the end of the off-ramp. Moments later, they claim, Tory came out of nowhere and struck their car from the rear left side with a green Bentley SUV.

The Grullons insist Tory never exited his ride, but instead ... claim he took off without a second thought. The worst part, they say Krisha was 4 months pregnant at the time.

The couple is gunning to have him sit for a deposition, which they're requesting be conducted early in 2023. They're also denying Tory responded to their claims in 45 days' time ... either admitting or denying each specific part of their claim.

As you know ... Tory's already embroiled in a legal case here in California over allegations he used a firearm to cause bodily injury to Megan Thee Stallion -- something that's going to trial next month. He was also recently accused of beating up August Alsina in Chicago ... but it doesn't appear the cops are involved in that one just yet.

We've reached out to Tory's camp ... so far, no word back.