Washington Commanders linebacker Jamin Davis and cornerback Benjamin St-Juste were named in a wrongful death lawsuit filed on Dec. 22 in the Loudoun County (Va.) Circuit Court.
Kathleen Peters filed a $25 million wrongful death lawsuit against Davis, St-Juste, former Washington safety Deshazor Everett and another friend, Shadidul Islam, alleging the football players were racing their cars in an accident that killed Peters’ daughter, Olivia, on Dec. 23, 2021. Olivia Peters was the fiance of Everett, who played for Washington from 2015-21.
Everett was charged with involuntary manslaughter in Feb. 2022 and released by Washington afterward. Everett pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of reckless driving and was sentenced to three months of house arrest. Davis and St-Juste weren’t charged in the accident.
Here are more details from the suit, per Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post.
The lawsuit alleges that Everett, St-Juste and Davis, who were all on Washington’s roster at the time, planned that evening “to ‘show off’ and race their cars on the public roads.” According to the lawsuit, Everett’s car was equipped with nitrous oxide, which can boost a car’s horsepower and is illegal in Virginia, along with racing tires and a roll cage. Davis drove a McLaren, and St-Juste drove a customized Audi A6.
The suit claims the three met at an auto shop in Loudoun County owned by fellow defendant Shahidul Islam, then went driving. Everett had a GoPro Camera attached to his car, recording the events. According to the suit, the defendants “drove at high rates of speed well in excess of the posted speed limits,” “changed lanes erratically and without signaling,” “crossed over double yellow lines and drove in the opposite lane of traffic” and “raced each other on multiple occasions.”
Olivia Peters, 29, was from Rockville, Md., and worked as an occupational therapist.
Davis was charged with reckless driving just days before the crash in a separate incident. Three months later, Davis was again charged with reckless driving after allegedly going 114 mph in a 45 mph zone. He was initially convicted and sentenced to 30 days in jail but appealed and is awaiting another hearing which is scheduled for March.
Davis and St-Juste are both in their third NFL season and were a part of Washington’s 2021 NFL draft class.