Crime

Former NASCAR star Clint Bowyer struck and killed a woman in a tragic car crash earlier this month, according to new police documents obtained by TMZ Sports.

The accident, per a Lake Ozark Police Dept. crash report, happened on June 5 at around 9 PM in Missouri -- just hours after Bowyer had finished working a gig as a TV analyst for a NASCAR Cup Series race in Madison, IL.

According to the docs, the 43-year-old ex-racecar driver said he was traveling in a 2019 Nissan Rogue when he hit a pedestrian in the middle of the street.

Bowyer, cops say, immediately hit his brakes and called 911.

Officers said in the docs that medical personnel arrived on the scene a short time later, and attempted to render aid to the 47-year-old woman. They say, however, she died at the scene.

In the docs, cops say Bowyer showed "no signs of impairment" ... adding that a breathalyzer test revealed he had a .000 BAC.

According to officers in the docs, "a crystalline substance ... believed to be methamphetamine" was found near the woman's belongings ... and residents at a nearby RV park where the woman was staying believed she had been "under the influence of drugs."

Bowyer -- who did not work his role as an analyst for last Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race in California -- released a statement Thursday addressing the accident, saying, "Anyone that knows me, knows that family is everything to me."

"My thoughts and prayers are with the family and loved ones of [the woman]. This is a very difficult time for my family and I, please respect our privacy as we move forward."

Mike Tyson is finally telling people why he beat the hell out of an overbearing fan on a recent flight ... with the boxing legend explaining he was just high and irritable at the time!

"Hey listen, I'm usually good at these things," Tyson told Jimmy Kimmel on his show Thursday night.

"I was wrong, that should've never happened. That's me back in my primitive child stages, I shouldn't of done that, but I was just irritated, tired, high, and pissed off. S*** happens!"

"I don't wanna hurt nobody!," MT sang.

So, the dude tried Mike at the wrong time ... and Tyson beat him up for it.

Of course, Mike, who was removed from the plane along with the bloodied and bruised passenger, wasn't charged with a crime for the April 2022 incident.

Melvin Townsend III, the 36-year-old man who was on the receiving end of the beating, hired an attorney several days after the fight ... but it's unclear if he's struck a financial deal with Tyson.

Jokes aside, it certainly seems Mike regrets his actions ... even though anecdotally, most believe the former heavyweight champ was well within his right to serve up the beating.

Kimmel also asked Mike about a possible boxing match with Jake Paul. Mike and Jake are actually buddies ... but Tyson's clearly open to the idea.

Ex-NHL star Sean Avery has just been convicted of attempted criminal mischief ... after he was accused of slamming his scooter into a car in a road rage incident back in 2019.

A spokesperson for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office tells TMZ Sports ... Avery was found guilty of the misdemeanor charge on Thursday, following a short bench trial this week.

According to the spokesperson, Avery was sentenced to time served. The judge in the case also issued full orders of protection for the victims.

42-year-old Avery was initially charged back in 2019 ... after a businessman said the former New York Rangers center damaged his car following a dispute over a New York bike lane.

The man claimed Avery's outburst left a small hole in his vehicle's door, near where his 4-year-old daughter had been sitting during the incident.

Manny Halley, Young Thug's former manager, has no bad blood with his ex-client -- he wants to see him free again, and firmly believes the system is using "our culture" against hip hop superstars.

We chopped it up with Manny Thursday at LAX, where he told us about his time at YSL ... stressing there was never any notion about the company being a gang. He says it feels like law enforcement's using "made-up charges" to take down a successful revenue stream for Black artists.

Manny and YSL unceremoniously parted ways back in 2018 after he was awarded a 7-figure settlement from Thug's former business managers ... but he says it's still all love and wants to see Thug and Gunna free as the air outside.

Some of what he told us echoes attorney Drew Findling's sentiments about Georgia prosecutors and the RICO charges.

The YSL guys have been getting loads of support from the likes of Chris Brown, Lil Baby, and DJ Khaled. Thug even recorded a message played last week at Summer Jam to thank fans for their support.

As we've reported, Thug, Gunna and co. aren't slated to go to trial until early 2023.

Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis is making an astonishing donation to help the Uvalde community following the tragic shooting that left 21 dead ... pledging $1 million to increase security in the school district.

The Uvalde Leader-News reported the gesture on Thursday ... saying Davis decided to step in and help out after conversations with former Raiders star Vann McElroy, who grew up and currently lives in Uvalde, Texas.

Davis presented the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District with the check via a Zoom call this week ... saying, "We are proud to be part of something to make the children in these schools safer."

"Two weeks ago, I had a conversation with Vann. He told me about the hurt his hometown was going through."

"He said that Uvalde was in pain and needed help," Davis added. "I asked him what we would do to help ease that pain."

The donation will go toward installing impenetrable doors, security cameras inside and outside, as well as building an unscalable fence outside.

The gesture comes amid criticism of local law enforcement's response to the tragedy ... as well as the shooter's access to the school.

A new photo has emerged from the January 6th insurrection, one that shows then-VP Mike Pence hiding away as rioters stormed the Capitol, chanting about killing him.

The pic shows Pence and his family seeking refuge in his ceremonial office -- not far from the Senate floor -- second lady Karen Pence shuts the curtains as they shelter in place.

The photo was snapped just a few minutes after the Capitol was breached ... and as many started chanting "Hang Mike Pence." The Pence family was taken to a loading dock under the building not long after.

Pence and his daughter, Charlotte, eventually returned to the Capitol when the dust settled, and continued to work on his speech for when Congress reconvened.

As we reported, former President Donald Trump seemingly defended the insurrectionists that had it out for his VP, claiming they were understandably angry.

He claimed he wasn't worried about the Veep's safety at the time, telling ABC's Jonathan Karl, "I thought he was well-protected and I had heard he was in good shape."

Trump chalked the "Hang Mike Pence" stuff to common sense -- calling the guy out for passing what he believed was a fraudulent vote to Congress, AKA certifying Biden.

Jaxson Hayes will not spend another minute behind bars stemming from his July altercation with cops that led to his arrest -- the New Orleans Pelicans player was just sentenced to three years probation, 450 hours of community service and weekly domestic violence classes.

22-year-old Hayes pleaded no contest to resisting arrest and false imprisonment in February ... and was facing up to 364 days behind bars for both charges.

The timeframe is unclear on when Hayes must complete his community service ... but he will be allowed to complete it where he lives, instead of in Los Angeles.

Hayes will be able to take his domestic violence classes online over the next 52 weeks.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Hayes was arrested on July 28 after cops responded to a reported domestic incident at his then-girlfriend's house around 3 AM.

When officers showed up at the scene, cops say Hayes refused to let them inside ... which resulted in a scuffle.

One officer was injured ... and Hayes -- who was tased during the incident -- was heard on video telling cops he couldn't breathe, which led to an LAPD investigation into excessive use of force.

Hayes was taken to a nearby hospital to receive treatment for minor injuries ... and was released from custody later that day.

One of R. Kelly's many victims thinks the feds' recommendation of 25 years in prison is too low, and instead, he should spend the rest of his days behind bars.

Lizzette Martinez tells TMZ ... Kelly's more than earned a life sentence due to the fact he's hurt so many people over several decades.

She doesn't think his abuse will ever come to an end, because -- as federal prosecutors point out -- the guy's proven multiple times he's using his power to get what he wants, and he can't be given the chance to prey on women again.

Kitti Jones, another one of R. Kelly's victims, tells us she has no issue with the prosecutors' recommendation, however ... no amount of time will give her, and others, back their time or remove their trauma.

Both women were featured in the "Surviving R. Kelly" docuseries which sparked renewed prosecution, and ultimately, Kelly's downfall -- and they say they'll be present for his sentencing later this month.

As we reported, the U.S. Attorney's Office won a conviction against Kelly last September, and just filed its recommendation for his sentencing -- saying there's a laundry list of reasons to send him away for "in excess of 25 years."

Cristiano Ronaldo is off the hook in his Vegas rape case -- the civil one, for now -- because a judge just threw out the lawsuit against him ... and kinda admonished the accuser too.

U.S. District Judge Jennifer Dorsey dismissed the case entirely Friday, but not because she found there was no merit in the accusations ... but because the lawyer repping Kathryn Mayorga (the alleged victim) was apparently leaking like a sieve throughout the proceedings.

The attorney who got a forceful berating is Leslie Mark Stovall, whom the judge accused of disseminating stolen documents in the case, containing sensitive info being shared by Ronaldo and his own lawyers ... which the judge said utterly tainted the case.

The order read in part, "I find that the procurement and continued use of these documents was bad faith, and simply disqualifying Stovall will not cure the prejudice to Ronaldo because the misappropriated documents and their confidential contents have been woven into the very fabric of Mayorga's claims." The judge added, "Harsh sanctions are merited."

While the suit won't move forward at this point, Mayorga can appeal to a higher court if she wants. It's unclear if they plan to do so -- neither Mayorga or Ronaldo have commented.

As we reported ... Mayorga claims Ronaldo raped her in 2009 after a night of partying. She claims he paid her hush money in the amount of $375k ... but went public a few years ago, launching a criminal probe against the soccer star ... and which was ultimately dropped.

"Anchorman" star David Koechner has been busted again for drinking and driving -- this time while away from home on tour.

According to online records, Koechner was nabbed in Southern Ohio just before 2 AM on June 4 for operating a vehicle under the influence. A law enforcement source tells us a State Trooper noticed Koechner swerve, pulled him over, and allegedly smelled alcohol on his breath.

Koechner received a ticket for the offense, and is scheduled to appear in court next month.

As for why he was in Ohio -- Koechner's on tour -- and hosted "The Office" trivia night later that day in Ironton. Koechner played the character Todd Packer on the show.

It's not the first time this year he's been busted for drinking and driving. The actor and comedian was charged with DUI and hit and run following a New Year's Eve arrest in Los Angeles. During that incident, cops say, he blew two tires before stopping and blew a .13 BAC in the field and a .12 once back at the station.

Rep. Ilhan Omar's experience during the January 6th storming of the Capitol was traumatic -- and something she believes was sparked by Trump -- as the country gears up for one of the most important hearings in history.

We got the U.S. Congresswoman from Minnesota Thursday at the Capitol, and she says the upcoming hearing regarding last year's insurrection is going to be very eye-opening -- and she's prepared for the testimonies to be pretty triggering.

The Rep tells us the whole day was a really traumatizing experience for her and her colleagues. She was one of the many that were whisked away from the Capitol and taken off-site -- cops believed her life was in danger no matter where she was in the building.

She even tells us about the heartbreaking last-minute texts she sent to her family, just in case things took a turn for the worse.

A Chicago memorabilia shop was burglarized on Memorial Day and rare sports cards -- including high-priced 1986 Michael Jordan rookie cards -- were stolen ... and the heist was all caught on camera.

According to the Chicago Police Dept., the store was robbed on May 31 at 3:44 AM when a male suspect removed metal bars from the business and broke in through a back window.

When the suspect made entry, cops say he stole several items and fled on foot.

The business's owner, Ronnie Holloway, released video from inside of the store at the time of the theft this week -- showing a man behind the counter rummaging through a ton of sports cards.

Holloway tells TMZ Sports the suspect got away with over $100k worth of merchandise ... including an unopened Fleer packet of MJ rookie cards -- which he says is worth $25k alone. Holloway added that other rare cards of Babe Ruth, Larry Bird, Jackie Robinson and Walter Payton were also taken.

"These are high-end cards," Holloway said. "Trying to replace it is gonna be hard -- vintage cards can't be replaced."

Holloway tells us he believes the suspect scoped out his place a few days before the heist ... saying, "He knew where they were. He must've planned this out."

"Over the holiday weekend, too, so perfect opportunity. Well-orchestrated."

Holloway -- who's owned the store for 30 years -- has put out a $10,000 reward for "an arrest or conviction of this person."

The hits keep coming for Todd and Julie Chrisley -- their recent convictions for bank fraud and tax evasion are jeopardizing the future of their reality TV show.

Here's the deal ... Todd and Julie's show, "Chrisley Knows Best," was picked up for a 10th season back in May, a week before their federal trial began ... but that's up in the air now that a jury's found them guilty on a laundry list of charges.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ … it's unclear when the Chrisleys will begin production for a 10th season. We're told the situation is very fluid because the network is awaiting the sentencing.

The problem with that is ... sentencing isn't set to go down until October, when they'll face up to 30 years in federal prison. That puts USA Network, the family and Todd and Julie's attorneys in a bind.

Obviously, they could start shooting now, but Todd's lawyer says they plan to appeal the guilty verdict -- and, let's face it, legal strategizing doesn't make for great TV ... nor would any attorney recommend it: Anything Todd and Julie say could be used against them.

USA Network had no comment on the couple's guilty verdict.

Todd and Julie will still be on TV, though ... season 9 filmed and wrapped before the trial started, and new episodes start airing June 23rd. We are told "Chrisley Knows Best" was not in production during the trial, so neither the trial or the verdict were filmed.

Todd and Julie Chrisley are likely headed to federal prison, but at least they got in a hearty family meal before the bad news in court ... and we got some pics from the event.

Think "last supper," but earlier in the day -- the Chrisleys gathered the fam for a Sunday brunch 2 days before they were found guilty of bank fraud and tax evasion.

The family broke bread at the Peach & the Porkchop, just outside Atlanta -- and witnesses tell us they made the most of it. Everyone was all smiles, although Todd did have to get up to take a phone call for about 10 minutes.

It might've been case-related, as we're told everyone at the table was quiet and looking at Todd during the call. In any event, the mood picked back up again when he sat down.

As we reported, Todd and Julie were found guilty Tuesday of a laundry list of charges, but Todd's lawyer told us they plan on appealing the verdict.

The US Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia tells us the Chrisleys sentencing is scheduled for October, and they're facing up to 30 years in prison.

Ezra Miller is not only a bad influence, they're a danger to the well-being of an 18-year-old woman ... at least according to her parents, who are asking a court to step in and keep the actor away from her.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Tokata Iron Eyes met a then-23-year-old Miller in 2016 -- when she was just 12 -- and the actor was visiting the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota. From there, Tokata's parents say she and Ezra developed a friendship they believe puts Tokata at risk.

Tokata's parents say Miller flew her to London in 2017 to visit the studio where "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" was filmed, as she was a big fan and Miller was a star in the movie. At the time of the trip, they say Tokata was 14 and Ezra was 25.

As the friendship continued, Tokata's parents claim Ezra supplied their underage daughter with alcohol, marijuana and LSD.

Not only that, they claim Ezra -- best known as The Flash in the DC superhero films -- disrupted Tokata's schooling at a private institute in Massachusetts so much, she dropped out in December 2021.

The parents say they flew to Miller's Vermont home in January to get their daughter ... and discovered she didn't have her driver's license, car keys, bank card and other items needed to navigate life independently.

They say they also found bruises on Tokata's body which they allege Ezra caused.

Shortly after she got home, Tokata's parents say she fled to NYC to reunite with Ezra -- and from there, the pair's been traveling together to Vermont, Hawaii and Los Angeles. The two were spotted at a club in Hawaii in video obtained by TMZ.

As we've reported ... Miller got arrested several times during their stay in Hawaii, including an incident where they allegedly attacked bar patrons.

In the docs, Tokata's parents state, "Ezra uses violence, intimidation, threat of violence, fear, paranoia, delusions, and drugs to hold sway over a young adolescent Tokata." They claim Ezra's also told Tokata to solely go by Gibson ... a nickname she formerly used with family and friends.

Then there's this ... they say Ezra's decided Tokata is non-binary transgender, when she had previously declared herself "non-binary, queer, gay."

It seems Tokata is aware of her parents' concerns -- she recently took to social media to say she's mentally stable, and her "comrade" Ezra has been a help in her life. She also says she's recently gotten a therapist and is looking forward to the future.

Tokata's parents are asking the court to step in and issue an order of protection against Ezra on behalf of their daughter, and a hearing is set for next month.

Ex-NFL player Darren Sharper -- who's currently serving 2 decades behind bars following a multi-state rape case -- has reached a settlement with three women accusing him of drugging and sexually assaulting them back in 2014, TMZ Sports has learned.

The women filed a lawsuit against the 46-year-old Super Bowl champion in December 2015 -- two of the plaintiffs claim Sharper drugged and sexually assaulted them after meeting at a nightclub in West Hollywood on January 14, 2014 ... while the third claims Sharper drugged and sexually assaulted her in Las Vegas the next day.

Sharper was arrested shortly after ... and women in Louisiana, Arizona and Nevada also came forward with their own disturbing allegations of drugging and rape at the hands of the former safety.

Sharper pled guilty and was handed a 20-year sentence in 2016 ... which he's currently serving.

Details on the settlement were not revealed ... but will be made official once all sides sign off on the paperwork.