Disturbing Details Found During Dwayne Haskins' Death Investigation
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins was hit and killed by a dump truck on April 9, 2022, while in Florida for training during the offseason (via ESPN). He had been a professional player for just a few years, and the news of his death shocked the sports world. Haskins was an Ohio State Buckeye, and his OSU biography calls him "very probably, the greatest throwing quarterback in Ohio State history" due to his masterful 2018 season, where he set 28 separate Ohio State records. A Heisman Trophy finalist, Haskins decided to leave college on a high note as a sophomore and entered the 2019 NFL draft.
Haskins was selected 15th overall in the draft by the Washington Commanders, according to ESPN. Team owner Daniel Snyder really wanted the quarterback on his team despite his scouts disagreeing with his choice — and he got his wish. Haskins' time with Washington wasn't what everyone hoped it would be, though. Over the next two seasons, Haskins was benched and eventually let go. Haskins ultimately signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers as their quarterback for the 2021-2022 season.
Despite some concern over his work ethic while he was a Commander, by the end of his first season, Pittsburgh Steelers management believed that Haskins had made genuine improvement. Haskins was re-signed to a one-year contract with Pittsburgh in March, just weeks before he was killed by a truck while walking along Florida's I-595. At only 24, Dwayne Haskins joined the long list of football players who were killed during their professional careers.
He had a high blood alcohol content level when he died
The day before he died, Dwayne Haskins went out to dinner with a friend, writes ESPN. A Steelers official told the outlet that afterward, the two went to a nightclub, drank heavily, and apparently got into a fight. In two different reports taken after his death, Haskins' blood alcohol content levels were recorded as 0.2 and 0.24 — more than twice Florida's legal limit of 0.08. Haskins' toxicology report further revealed that he had ketamine and norketamine (two drugs with hallucinogenic effects) in his system at the time of his death (via ESPN).
Before dawn the next morning, Haskins called his wife Kalabrya to tell her he was getting gas for his rental car and would call her back. He never did. Haskins also had a female passenger in his car at the time, and she confirmed to Florida Highway Patrol that the quarterback had left the car to venture out for gas on foot (via ESPN). The relationship between Haskins and his passenger was unclear.
Haskins was walking west on Florida's I-595 when he entered oncoming traffic and was struck by a dump truck at a little before 7 a.m. Another car tried to swerve around Haskins but also hit him, writes ESPN. Haskins' death, caused by multiple blunt force injuries, was ruled an accident by the medical examiner. The reason why Dwayne Haskins decided to step fully out into moving traffic is still unknown.
A bystander believes he saw Haskins walking on the highway just before his death
One bystander, Chris Stanley, had just finished dropping his daughter off at the Fort Lauderdale airport. Stanley believes he saw Dwayne Haskins just moments before his death, walking along the highway on the right side. Stanley was heading home on I-95, and was about to get off the highway. Stanley told NBC Miami, "I was in the left lane and then there was the right lane. And then I noticed an individual there starting to make their way onto the road." Stanley remembered the person lifting their arms upwards as they stepped into oncoming traffic.
Stanley said of the person he saw (via NBC Miami), "He was about halfway, to a quarter way in the right lane, already onto the highway and I was already concerned that somebody was going to strike him right there at that moment." He didn't remember seeing Haskins' car — or any other cars — nearby. Stanley admitted to being confused and concerned about what was going on, telling NBC Miami, "That's why it's just very disturbing. I just didn't understand the situation."
Exceedingly worried about the man walking onto the road, Stanley called 911 to report the incident — approximately six minutes before Florida highway patrol officials believe the crash occurred. Dwayne Haskins' death was a tragic accident that should never have happened. Chris Stanley, who may have been the last person to see Haskins alive, was disturbed and saddened by the circumstances.