DALLAS — Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice has turned himself into police in connection to his involvement in a multi-vehicle crash on U.S. 75 in Dallas in late March.
According to online records, on Thursday evening Rice turned himself in to the Glenn Heights Police Department and was then taken to the DeSoto Jail. His combined bond total is $40,000.
His attorney Royce West issued a statement late Thursday saying "Mr. Rashee Rice turned himself in today and was released on bond. I want to re-emphasis Mr. Rice's continued cooperation with law enforcement. Mr. Rice acknowledges his actions and feels deeply for those injured as a result of this accident. Our legal team is now tasked with reviewing all legal documents."
Rice, 23, now faces eight charges in the case – six counts of collision involving bodily injury, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury, and one count of aggravated assault, according to the warrant. All of the charges are felonies.
Collision involving injury carries a penalty of imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for not more than five years or confinement in the county jail for not more than one year, a fine not to exceed $5,000, or both.
Collision involving serious bodily injury – a third-degree felony – carries a punishment of imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice of not more than 10 years or less than 2 years. Aggravated assault – a second-degree felony – is punishable by two to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
State Sen. Royce West, who is representing Rice as his attorney, confirmed last week that his client acknowledged to investigators that he was driving the Lamborghini SUV involved in a multi-vehicle crash on Central Expressway in Dallas on March 30. Rice was listed as renting the Lamborghini SUV from Classic Lifestyle in his name at the time of the crash. The Corvette involved in the crash was also leased in Rice's name.
The driver of the Corvette at the time of the collision, Theodore Knox, 21, faces the same charges as Rice. Knox is a cornerback on the current roster of the SMU football team, where Rice played football in college.
The passengers in the vehicle will not be charged.
"This case was conducted as all cases are conducted, thorough and fair, as that is what all victims deserve and what our city demands," Chief Eddie Garcia of the Dallas Police Department said in a statement on Thursday. "An investigation has no timeline. We will not be pressured, and we will do what is right. Our men and women work to determine who is involved and how they were involved, conduct interviews, and gather evidence to build a solid case to hold people accountable for dangerous conduct in our city. I am proud of the work they do each day, and I am proud to be their Chief.”
In a statement issue on Friday, SMU said it was aware of the arrest warrant for Knox, and that Knox had been suspended from the football team. The school said it "takes these allegations seriously," but said federal student privacy laws prevented the university from further commenting on any disciplinary actions it may take as a result of Knox's charges.
WFAA obtained dashcam footage of the incident, which shows three men emerging and walking away from the Lamborghini SUV after it stopped in the second-from-the-right lane on the highway.
According to the initial police report obtained by WFAA, a total of six people were split between the Lamborghini and the Corvette that were speeding on 75 northbound just before 6:30 p.m. on March 30. The luxury cars lost control and caused a crash that involved six vehicles.
All of the occupants of the Lamborghini and Corvette fled the scene, leaving multiple victims behind without exchanging information or insurance and without checking to make sure everyone was OK.
The police report also said marijuana was found in both cars, as well as credit cards, a $16,500 check, a diamond chain, and the playbook for the Kansas City Chiefs.
The police report said 10.8 grams of marijuana was found in the vehicle Rice was driving, a misdemeanor amount in Texas, though no possession charges were filed against Rice or any of his passengers.
Two of the crash victims were taken to the hospital.
WFAA spoke with Tennessee Walker, a lawyer representing a husband and wife at the time who were among the victims in the crash. Walker told WFAA the couple was “angry,” and the husband had to crawl out of the back window after this collision. His wife was pulled out of the driver’s seat by first responders.
“She had a very big laceration on her left eye. She’s got several stitches that were put in at the hospital, and the eye socket is completely swollen and black and blue,” Walker said.
Even though the charges facing Rice are serious, Dallas defense attorney George Milner feels like he won't actually face prison time, considering the injuries involved in the crash weren't critical, Rice is young, and he's vowed to compensate all the victims.
"If he is well represented, he won't go to prison," Milner said. "I don't think any of the victims want him to go to prison--I don't know that for certain but most of them likely want to be compensated and that's a play for his case."
A native of North Richland Hills, Rice was a standout receiver for four seasons at SMU before being selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round with the No. 55 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft. As a senior, he made 96 catches for 1,355 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns and was named a second-team AP All-American. He led the Mustangs in receiving for three of his four seasons on the Hilltop.
In his first NFL season, Rice snagged 79 catches for 938 yards – good for second place among rookie wideouts in the league in both categories – while also hauling in seven receiving touchdowns on the year.
Rice also caught six passes for 39 yards in the Chiefs' 25-22 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.
In a statement posted to Rice's Instagram on Wednesday, April 3, the wide receiver said he was cooperating with DPD's investigation into the crash.
"I take full responsibility for my part in this matter and will continue to cooperate with the necessary authorities," he wrote. "I sincerely apologize to everyone impacted.”
Deandra Grant, the attorney representing Knox, said her client has "cooperated fully with law enforcement" and that she had no further comment to add beyond that.
West, the attorney representing Rice, has not yet responded to WFAA's attempts to reach him for comment on Wednesday.
Marc Lenahan, an attorney representing another of the victims in the crash, told WFAA that he and his client "look forward to reading any of the charges to see what the Dallas Police Department’s Investigation has found."
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