Three former teammates from the Washington Commanders have been named in a lawsuit. Benjamin St-Juste, a former defensive back for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, along with Jamin Davis and Deshazor Everett, both former teammates of St-Juste with the Commanders, are defendants in a wrongful death lawsuit. The lawsuit alleges their involvement in a fatal crash while reportedly racing their cars, resulting in the death of Everett’s longtime girlfriend, Olivia Peters.
According to The Washington Post, the lawsuit was filed on Dec. 22 in Loudoun County, Va., by Kathleen Peters, seeking $25 million in damages and a trial by jury. The suit claims that the defendants were driving recklessly, causing injuries leading to Peters’ death on Dec. 23, 2021. It further alleges that Everett’s car was equipped with illegal modifications such as nitrous oxide, racing tires, and a roll cage.
At the time of the incident, St-Juste, Davis, and Everett were all teammates with the Commanders. Everett reportedly captured the events on a GoPro, as reported by The Washington Post.
St-Juste previously played for the Minnesota Gophers from 2019 to 2020, making 59 tackles and defending 11 passes during his tenure. He earned an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2019 and was drafted by the Commanders as the No. 74 overall pick in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft.
Initially, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s office stated that Everett was driving at speeds exceeding 90 mph before the crash. However, subsequent investigations using a black box and witness testimonies presented a different account. St-Juste informed the police that Everett had been driving at approximately 50 mph.
Everett initially faced charges of involuntary manslaughter but later pleaded guilty to reckless driving, resulting in a three-month house arrest sentence, as per The Washington Post. Additionally, his license was suspended.
