Former Southern Methodist University star and current Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice is reportedly under investigation after he was accused of assaulting a photographer at a Dallas nightclub early on Monday morning near the 600 block of North Hardwood Street.
Rice is reportedly a suspect in an incident that occurred around 2:30 a.m. in which a man was taken to the hospital for evaluation of non-life-threatening injuries, according to The Dallas Morning News. A law enforcement official confirmed that the man had noticeable swelling on one side of his face after the incident.
Officers have already begun interviewing witnesses to help identify any other possible suspects in the incident, according to WFAA.
Officials told DMN that no charges have been filed regarding the incident, and a police spokesperson declined to confirm the name of any suspect, stating, “It is not our practice to release or confirm a suspect identity during an investigation.”
These allegations come shortly after Rice was involved in a six-car pileup on the North Central Expressway on March 30, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Rice and SMU cornerback Theodore “Teddy” Knox were allegedly racing on the freeway in a Lamborghini and Corvette before losing control of their vehicles and causing multiple other cars to crash. The two drivers, along with multiple passengers, reportedly fled the scene without rendering aid to the victims of the crash.
The Dallas Police Department confirmed that both Rice and Knox will face one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury, and six counts of collision involving injury in connection with the crash.
Rice is now facing multiple lawsuits due to his involvement. The first lawsuit was filed by Edvard Petrovskiy and Irina Gromova, who are seeking $10 million in punitive damages and $1 million in medical care as a result of the collision.
The second lawsuit, filed on behalf of Kamlesh Desai, alleges that some of the victim’s injuries sustained in the crash could be permanent, with Desai seeking $1 million in damages that include lost wages, lost earning capacity, physical and mental pain, and future medical expenses.
Kansas City is reportedly expecting Rice to miss a significant amount of time due to a suspension related to the car accident. NFL media member James Palmer said on a podcast that the Chiefs are “expecting half a season, at least.”
“He’s gonna be suspended, let’s just put it out there,” he said, according to Sports Illustrated.
While the Chiefs expect a suspension for the car accident, they have yet to comment on the most recent allegations involving the nightclub.
