Car Crashes

Former Patriots O-lineman Rich Ohrnberger was so afraid of being cut by Bill Belichick ... he intentionally rear-ended a van while on his way to practice after running late to a team meeting!!

Ohrnberger -- a fourth-round pick in the 2009 NFL draft -- made the confession Thursday on the "The Hartman And Rich O Show" ... saying he purposely got into a fender bender so he wouldn't have to face the wrath of the future Hall of Fame head coach.

"I was driving a Chevy Tahoe, and it says I'm late already," Ohrnberger recalled, continuing, "Or, I'm gonna be. I'm like 5 minutes to being officially late, and I've got a 15-minute drive ahead of me."

Rich -- who only spent two seasons with New England -- said he was terrified of what the notoriously strict coach might do.

"I had this sinking feeling in my stomach," and the entire time, he kept thinking to himself, "I'm gonna get cut."

Ohrnberger said he noticed a beat-up van and came up with the idea that if he got into an accident, that would be the perfect excuse for why he was late for the team meeting.

"And I'm cruising down this slight sloping hill that brings you to the first traffic light," Ohrnberger said, "that I have to turn right to get to the stadium for the morning meeting."

"I see a church van in front of me that's all dinged up, and it's got the black smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe, and I'm just like, 'I'm gonna hit this car.'"

Ohrnberger said he figured it's better to deal with the consequences of the collision -- banging up his car, etc. -- than dealing with Bill scolding him for being tardy.

Little did Rich know ... the church van he hit had an elderly man inside, but luckily, the old guy didn't sustain any injuries during the minor collision, and his van was okay, too.

Rep. Jackie Walorski was killed in a car crash in her home state that claimed the lives of 3 others ... according to police.

The fatal, two-car wreck happened Wednesday afternoon near an intersection in Nappanee, Indiana, and it killed all 3 people riding in the Republican Congresswoman's SUV.

The Elkhart County Sheriff says Walorski was traveling with her district director, Zachery Potts, and her communications director, Emma Thomson, when another car crashed head-on into their vehicle.

The driver of the other car, a 56-year-old woman, was also pronounced dead at the scene. She was the only one in her car.

Rep. Walorski was elected to Congress back in 2012 and her death is already sending shockwaves through Capitol Hill.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says he's "shocked and saddened" to hear of Rep. Walorski's tragic death ... remembering her as someone who was "always prepared to work together where there was common ground, always decent and straightforward, and she cared deeply about her work and her constituents."

Rep. Walorski was 58.

The driver who killed Nicki Minaj's father, Robert Maraj, in a hit-and-run was just sentenced to time behind bars.

Charles Polevich was ordered to serve 1 year in jail Wednesday after pleading guilty to two felony charges -- leaving the scene of an incident without reporting and tampering with physical evidence. On top of that, his driver's license will be suspended for 6 months and he'll pay a $5,000 fine.

Polevich was facing up to 7 years behind bars, but Judge Howard Sturim followed through with a commitment to sentence him to no more than one year in jail.

TMZ broke the story ... Nicki's dad died at the age of 64 after being struck in a hit-and-run accident back in February 2021 while he was walking on Long Island.

At the time, cops said the driver fled the scene and tried to hide the car in a detached garage at his place. Robert was rushed to a hospital in critical condition and died from his injuries.

Tsudoi Miyazaki -- a Japanese triathlete and aspiring Olympian -- was tragically killed on Wednesday after she was struck by a car while training on her bike in France.

She was only 25.

The terrible incident happened near Orleans (almost two hours south of Paris) where Miyazaki was staying for a triathlon training camp at an overseas base, according to the Triathlon website.

Miyazaki was out riding on her bike for practice when she was hit by a car ... and sadly, she did not survive the accident.

"World Triathlon and the Japan Triathlon Union want to offer our deepest condolences to Ms. Miyazaki family, friends, coaches and teammates," the org. said in a statement.

"The thoughts of all the Triathlon Family are with you all in these terrible times."

This deadly accident comes just days after Miyazaki competed in the Pontevedra World Cup in Spain -- in fact, her last IG post was about the race and how she "hadn't reached my level yet!"

"It was a good experience and I hope it doesn't end, and I'm going to use what I feel next," Miyazaki said in the caption.

"Thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving me the challenge. Thank you for your support."

During her career -- which started when she was in college -- Miyazaki won the Japan U23 Triathlon Championships in 2019 and was aiming to make it to the 2024 Olympics in Paris and 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

The crash is under investigation by the French authorities.

Kanye West is proving he's a good friend — just ask A$AP Bari, who’s currently riding around in a new Mercedes Maybach SUV … just days after he says he crashed his old one.

The A$AP Mob co-founder was Christmas-morning-level excited when showing off his new wheels on Instagram -- revealing he recently totaled his own car.

Kanye apparently heard about the wreck and sprung into action, surprising Bari on the spot.

If there's anyone who knows how to bounce back after a car wreck, it's Ye … his infamous 2002 crash helped to spawn the “jeen-yuhs."

Bari’s new whip is decked out ... which shouldn't come as a shock, considering Ye's Mercedes connects. If you remember, he doled out over $400,000 earlier this year for his custom Mercedes minivan that’s essentially a mansion on wheels.

Bari didn’t disclose what caused the accident but judging from the rain in the video, weather might've played a factor.

Comedian Lil Duval was in no joking mood Tuesday night ... he got into a car accident in the Bahamas and had to be airlifted to a hospital.

Duval, who's a regular on MTV's 'Guy Code' and VH1's 'Hip Hop Squares', posted a video to IG, showing himself covered in bandages and strapped to a gurney as he's wheeled out of an ambulance onto an airstrip.

Medical personnel tended to LD before he was lifted into a small plane. The video ends with LD lying on the stretcher while flying over the Bahamas at night.

Several hours ago, LD gave a brief update to his 3.8 million IG followers, saying he was hit by a car while riding his 4-wheeler. "Now my leg broke and i gotta get flown over to nassau and have surgery."

Duval is also a rapper who has worked with Snoop Dogg and T.I.

T.I. responded online to the bad news, sending his well wishes, "Maaaaaan I'm gon pray that you get well first. Then find it in yo heart to sitcho old ass down somewhere & rest big bro.... Amen [praying hands emoji]."

2 Chainz, Bun B, Angela Simmons, Jamie Foxx, Michael Blackson and other celebs also showed support for LD and hoped for a speedy recovery.

We've reached out to LD's reps and the police for information on his condition ... so far no word back.

Jason Momoa was involved in a scary car wreck with a motorcycle this weekend -- but luckily, everyone's okay and no one's being blamed ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the 'Aquaman' star was traveling on Old Topanga Canyon Road Sunday out near the Calabasas area -- when at one point during his drive, a biker traveling in the opposite direction made contact with him coming around a curve.

We're told the motorcycle rider crossed over into Jason's lane during this bend, and then hit the left front end of his Oldsmobile muscle car ... and kinda went flying, albeit only briefly.

The rider, fortunately, was able to land on his feet -- this according to our sources -- but not before bouncing off of JM's windshield and clearing the hood of his car to end up on the other side. Like we said, the rider was apparently left standing up after the collision.

The motorcycle rider was transported to the hospital with minor injuries -- including bruising to their leg and an injury to their thumb -- but beyond that ... they seemed alright. Jason's fine too ... cops were on the scene and took reports, but nothing else came of the accident.

Former Florida high school football star Sam Bruce -- who was briefly part of the 2016 Miami Hurricanes team -- died due to a heart attack ... according to the medical examiner's report.

The Broward County Medical Examiner released the report, obtained by TMZ Sports, which revealed the cause of the issue was coronary artery disease.

Officials determined the manner of death was "natural."

As we reported, Bruce tragically passed away on April 28 after he suffered a medical episode while driving his car in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Bruce had become known nationally because of his play at powerhouse Florida H.S. St. Thomas Aquinas -- where he torched defenders so often, he earned the nickname "The Samborghini."

The do-it-all athlete eventually signed with the Hurricanes, but was dismissed for violations of team rules just months into his freshman season.

Bruce's death rocked the football world back in April -- with many current and former NFL players, including Chad Johnson, mourning the loss on social media.

Bruce was just 24 years old.

NFL safety Deshazor Everett has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor reckless driving over a December 2021 car accident that killed his girlfriend, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

The former Washington Commanders captain entered the plea in a Loudoun County courtroom on Tuesday after prosecutors reduced his initial charge from felony involuntary manslaughter.

Everett -- who's due back in court in September for sentencing -- is still facing up to a year behind bars if the judge decides to throw the book at him.

As we previously reported, Everett was initially arrested and charged in the case back in February, after law enforcement said he was traveling at "over twice the posted 45 mph speed limit" before he crashed his Nissan GT-R in Virginia on Dec. 23, killing his girlfriend Olivia Peters.

The scene of the wreck, according to 911 callers, was terrifying ... with witnesses saying they saw Everett's car "trapped in the trees."

Six Univ. of Southwest student-athlete golfers were not killed by a 13-year-old boy driving a pickup truck -- as originally suspected -- it turns out the teen's dad, who had meth in his system, was behind the wheel during the horrific, fatal accident.

The crash occurred in West Texas in March around 8:17 PM ... and left six athletes -- age 18 to 22 -- and one 26-year-old male coach dead after a 2007 Dodge pickup truck veered across the center line and into the Ford van carrying the team, who just competed in a tournament. Two students survived, but were seriously injured.

Shortly after the accident, authorities from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the 13-year-old, who did not have a license, was driving the pickup at the time of the head-on collision.

However, after a more thorough investigation, the NTSB is revising its story in a new preliminary report ... indicating the teenage boy's 38-year-old father was actually the driver, and when authorities tested his blood, they found methamphetamine.

They did not specify how much of the drug was in his system ... or whether it would've impacted his ability to operate a vehicle.

The NTSB say they used DNA to reach the new conclusion.

Both the 13-year-old and the father also died.

The NTSB also points out there's no evidence to suggest the crash was caused by a sudden flat tire, or any other catastrophic incident that could've caused the crash.

Pete Alonso still thinks about his horrific, rollover March car crash daily ... admitting Wednesday that he's suffering from "pretty bad PTSD" over the incident.

The New York Mets superstar made the revelation in a piece for The Players' Tribune, explaining he still hasn't quite shaken the impact the accident had on his mental health.

"The whole thing has been a lot for me to deal with," Alonso said.

"A big accident like that, when it happens to you, I don’t care who you are, it’s not easy. No matter how strong you might think you are, it can still be rough in a lot of different ways. I’m still dealing with some pretty bad PTSD from it, to be completely honest with you."

Alonso was T-boned while going through a green light in Tampa, Fla. -- and video that his wife posted shortly after the crash showed the accident left his F250 a completely mangled mess.

The 27-year-old said in his Players' Tribune article that he's leaned on people close to him to work through it all, "but it’s not something that quickly fades away -- at least not for me."

"It’s going to take some time, and that’s O.K.," Alonso added. "I’m just going to keep working to navigate everything and be the best husband, son, brother, friend and teammate I can be."

Pete said the whole thing has taught him to make "the most of all the time that I have left."

For the first time since 2021, Henry Ruggs appeared in a courtroom in Las Vegas for a hearing in his DUI crash case.

The 23-year-old former Las Vegas Raiders star -- who was charged back in November 2021 with four felonies after prosecutors accused him of killing Tina Tintor and her dog in a fiery car crash -- showed up to the Nevada courthouse alongside his attorneys.

During the hearing, Ruggs' lawyers argued that police had no probable cause to obtain a warrant to collect his blood following the car accident. They asked for the tests -- which cops say showed Ruggs had a BAC of .161 following the wreck -- to not be allowed to be used as evidence in the case.

The judge, however, denied the motion.

Ruggs appeared to be stoic in the courtroom as his attorneys spoke, displaying little emotion. He wore a white button-down shirt, a black bowtie, and blue pants and did not address reporters inside or outside of the courtroom.

This is the first time Ruggs has been seen in public since late November 2021, when he was ordered to show up for a hearing over a missed breath test.

As we reported, Ruggs is facing more than 50 years in prison if he's convicted on all of the charges against him.

The amount of support for "Outer Banks" stand-in Alexander "AJ" Jennings has been massive since his untimely death ... but his family says the best way to honor him would be to donate some cash to a charity.

LuJean Jennings, Alex's mother, tells TMZ ... they've been offered help for funeral costs from "Outer Banks" cast and crew members, but she thinks a donation to the Red Cross would make more sense, given the deep ties he has with the org -- and it's not just his CPR and lifeguard certification.

Alex, who stood in for Chase Stokes on the Netflix series, was born in Russia and was adopted from an orphanage when he was 18 months old. He was proud of his heritage ... up until Russia's invasion of Ukraine -- something he found extremely upsetting.

Being a 22-year-old actor, Alex didn't always have the means to make financial contributions of his own, but his family would often send money to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The fund assists people leaving Ukraine with shelter, basic aid items and medical supplies.

Alex's family is asking those wanting to show support for the late actor to help the refugees by chipping in to the IFRC instead.

As we reported, Alex was struck and killed by two vehicles early Tuesday morning in Charleston, both of which fled the scene. According to preliminary reports, he was walking along the main thoroughfare between James Island and Folly Beach when he was hit.

Racing legend Carlos Sainz Sr. -- the father of F1 superstar Carlos Sainz -- was hospitalized after a scary crash at the Extreme E Island X-Prix in Sardinia  ... but thankfully, it sounds like he's going to be okay.

60-year-old Sainz -- who races for the Acciona | Sainz XE team in the off-road series -- was leading the pack when he was hit by Johan Kristoffersson of Rosberg X Racing, which caused his vehicle to flip and roll.

Sainz was eventually able to get out of the car ... but it was clear he was in a lot of pain.

He was taken to a nearby hospital and was checked out by a medical team ... but in a statement just minutes ago, he made it clear he's still hurting.

"Luckily all the medical checks were fine and I have just been released from the hospital, although I feel quite a lot of pain," Sainz said on Twitter.

Kristoffersson was handed a 30-second penalty as a result of the accident ... which Sainz scoffed at.

"I am really disappointed nevertheless with what happened on the track and even more so with the fact that there was only a 30-second penalty for who caused this big accident."

"In over 40 years in motorsports, this is one of the most serious actions that I have ever seen without an exemplary penalty. Thanks a lot to everyone for your messages of support."

Sainz is a two-time World Rally Championship winner ... and has received numerous awards for his success in racing.

Sainz Jr. is fresh off his first win as a Formula 1 driver ... winning the British Grand Prix on Sunday.

Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu will be behind the wheel for the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend ... just days after surviving a horrifying crash at Silverstone.

"Finished the final medical check, all good to go!" Guanyu tweeted Thursday morning ... sharing a pic with FIA staffers.

"Thanks to all of the people who supported me during this time, means the world. ❤️ #AustrianGP LET'S GO! 💪🏼"

The news is pretty incredible ... especially considering how serious the scene was during the first lap of the British Grand Prix.

As we reported, the crash happened after Alpha Tauri's Pierre Gasly tried to squeeze between Zhou and Mercedes' George Russell ... but ended up making contact with Russel, who then bumped into Zhou.

Despite his car flipping and going over the tire barrier, Zhou -- F1's first Chinese driver -- shared positive news shortly after the incident ... saying he was all good and in great spirits.

A stand-in for Chase Stokes on the hit show 'Outer Banks' was killed this week in a horrific car accident -- this as the new season continues to film in South Carolina.

22-year-old Alexander 'AJ' Jennings was struck by two vehicles early Tuesday morning in Charleston, both of which fled the scene. He passed away as a result of injuries sustained from the double hit-and-run -- the coroner's office has his time of death listed at 3:13 AM.

According to preliminary reports, Jennings was walking along a main thoroughfare between James Island and Folly Beach when he was hit around 2 AM. The first vehicle left him for dead, and not too long after that ... Jennings was apparently hit by a second vehicle that also split -- although that driver was reportedly later pulled over in a traffic stop.

Life-saving measures were unsuccessful ... Jennings succumbed to his injuries. His employer, Kimmie Stewart Casting, confirmed Jennings had been working on 'OB' as a photo double/stand-in for John B -- the main character of the Netflix series, portrayed by Chase.

KSC writes, "I cannot fathom the shock and tragedy of AJ's sudden loss and our thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time. I understand this message may be difficult to process for those of you that met & became fast friends with AJ."

The agency adds that Netflix has grief counseling available to those who need it -- as AJ appears to have had a lot of friends on the production. One of those friends, it seems, was Chase himself ... who also honored AJ by taking to social media.

He writes, "Still trying to process why certain things happen, and why the world works in the ways that it does. My heart is shattered. Your life was just starting. We JUST talked about how pumped you were about your tunes, how far you'd come with that ole 6 string and your want to keep creating art. Always always making others hearts warm and being so damn selfless." CS went on to say AJ had touched all of their lives, adding ... "Fly high angel."