Bruce Jenner
could be financially destroyed if the relatives of the 69-year-old
woman who died in a four-car horror crash involving his SUV earlier this
month decide to sue him, it has been claimed.
This
means he may be left in a precarious position if Ms Howe's family
chooses to file a civil lawsuit against him. In such a case, 'the sky's
the limit with what a jury could award,' one attorney said.
Jenner,
who stars in reality TV show Keeping Up With The Kardashians, is still
incredibly wealthy after divorcing from his wife, Kris, with whom he
shared an estimated $125million fortune.
But if he is
hit by a civil lawsuit relating to the crash on February 7, he could
face losing millions of dollars - and may even experience financial
ruin due to his 'low' insurance coverage, it is claimed.
'It’s
absolutely crazy that someone who has his kind of money would risk
everything by not having higher rates of protection,' the unnamed source
close to the investigation team.
But
he added: 'However, Jenner's biggest worry should be the wrongful death
lawsuit, which will be filed soon enough, and will reach deep into his
pockets if his insurance doesn't cover his tab.'
Speaking to James
Fox, an attorney who specializes in motor vehicle crashes, agreed that Jenner
could suffer a huge financial blow if Ms Howe's relatives file a civil suit.
If he were found
liable, 'the sky's the limit with what a jury could award,' said Mr Fox, adding
that the state's 'comparative fault' law means that fault can be apportioned
among many parties by a court.
It
comes as a police source has claimed that surveillance footage taken by
cameras on a nearby MTA bus and shows that Jenner started the
chain-reaction crash that killed Ms Howe.
Jenner
was hauling an off-road vehicle on a trailer behind his Cadillac
Escalade when he steered to avoid cars slowing for a traffic light in
front of him on the highway, the unnamed official said.
The
star's SUV then allegedly rear-ended two cars, including a Toyota
Prius, propelling Ms Howe's white Lexus into oncoming traffic.The widow
was struck head-on by a Hummer H2 and killed.
The source's
revelations contradicted officials' initial claims that the victim's
Lexus had struck the Prius. Before her death, Ms Howe lived alone in a
$2.5million house in Calabasas, Los Angeles.
The official briefed on the video spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.
Jenner
is recently said to have told officers there was no way he could have
avoided the collision because the driver in front of him slammed on the
brakes. He also vowed to cooperate with police.
In
a statement, he said: 'My heartfelt and deepest sympathies go out to
the family and loved ones, and to all of those who were involved or
injured in this terrible accident.
'It
is a devastating tragedy and I cannot pretend to imagine what this
family is going through at this time. I am praying for them. I will
continue to cooperate in every way possible.'
The
Los Angeles Sheriff's Department is still investigating the cause of
the wreck and will consider whether to issue a citation that could
result in criminal charges - possibly vehicular manslaughter.
However, an
anonymous LAPD homicide detective has agreed with Manuelian that criminal
manslaughter charges against the former Olympic track runner would likely 'be a
stretch'.
'It would have to show, beyond a reasonable doubt, that he was negligent,' said the source.
'Just
because he rear-ended someone, its usually considered an accident. But,
the stretch would be that he was inattentive and violated the vehicle
code of following too close.'
If
any of the drivers in the crash are found criminally negligent, they
could face up to six years in prison. Five children and two adults were
also hospitalized in the fatal collision earlier this month.
Officials have said there is no evidence that Jenner was being chased by paparazzi at the time.
It comes
just days after Jenner's stepdaughter, Khloe Kardashian, spun off the
road and ended up in a ditch while her sisters Kim and Kylie Jenner and
Kim's baby North West were in the car.
Khloe
was behind the wheel of a black Yukon GMC in Bozeman, Montana, with her
siblings and Kim's daughter on Saturday when she hit a patch of black
ice, swerved and ended up in a ditch.
In
the aftermath Kim took to social media to thank God for watching over
her family and keeping them safe as they all escaped without injury.
Their publicist confirmed they are 'OK'.
It is not known exactly how much Jenner is worth in the wake of his divorce from his wife, Kris.
An investigation into the crash involving him is ongoing.
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