The New York Jets and cornerback Brandin Echols face a lawsuit stemming from a 2022 car crash
A New Jersey man is suing the New York Jets and fourth-year cornerback Brandin Echols, stemming from a car crash that occurred near the team facility in Florham Park back in 2022. The accident left the victim with serious injuries.
The victim, Stephen J. Gilberg, stated in his suit that he was driving east on the Columbia Turnpike near Airport Road on April 26, 2022 when his vehicle was struck by the Jets cornerback. According to the lawsuit, Echols lost control of his vehicle, hitting Gilberg’s car.
Echols was arrested and charged for his involvement in the incident. Charges included speeding and reckless driving. The Daily Record reported that police arrived on the scene with Echols’ 2021 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat inoperable, and Gilberg’s BMW X5 on its roof in a marsh. The accident left Gilberg seriously injured and hospitalized. The suit cites that he is still receiving medical care and treatment.
According to Gilberg’s lawsuit, the Jets cornerback has had a history of reckless driving. It also alleges that the team was negligent in allowing Echols to drive despite that history. The suit cites that, “New York Jets LLC did not exercise reasonable care in hiring defendant, Echols, as one of its players in that they failed to conduct the proper motor vehicle and/or criminal history checks and/or reference checks.”
Per The Daily Record, Echols entered a pretrial intervention program for three years, starting in 2023.
Along with Echols and the New York Jets, the Gilbergs are also suing the New Jersey Department of Transportation. The suit claims the DoT has responsibility due to the design and installment of the curbs and guardrails in the area where the crash occurred.
