Todd and Julie Chrisley face lawsuit in prison over son's 2022 car crash that left him hospitalized
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA: Reality TV couple Todd and Julie Chrisley are currently facing yet another lawsuit due to allegations made against their son Grayson that he was careless during a 2022 car crash.
According to court documents obtained by Radar Online, a guy named Patrick Rykwalder has sued Todd, Julie, Grayson, and Savannah Chrisley concerning an accident that took place on November 12, 2022.
Grayson Chrisley has been accused of being a 'distracted driver'
On November 12, 2022, Rykwalder claimed to be driving his 2020 Dodge Ram on Interstate 65 in Tennessee when Grayson was driving closely in his parents' Ford 5150 pickup truck. Rykwalder claimed the car belonged to Todd and Julie.
According to Rykwalder, he was stopped on the Interstate because the car in front of him was also stopped. He said that Grayson struck his stopped car abruptly.
The lawsuit stated: "Suddenly and without warning Defendant, Grayson M Chrisley, negligently and recklessly slammed his vehicle into the rear-end of Plaintiff, Patrick S Rykwalder’s motor vehicle at a high rate of speed."
"Not paying attention to the roadway in the moments immediately preceding the rear impact with the Plaintiff, Patrick S Rykwalder’s, stopped vehicle," Rykwalder said of Grayson, calling him a "distracted driver."
Rykwalder claimed that Grayson's actions resulted in a serious accident between the cars, which hurt him physically.
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The lawsuit stated, "Had Defendant, Grayson M Chrisley, been paying attention to the roadway in front of him this crash would not have occurred," further charging Grayson with abdicating responsibility for the collision.
According to Rykwalder, Grayson "failed to act appropriately under the circumstances, which included at minimum maintain a safe operating distance from other motor vehicles, maintaining a safe operating speed, and avoiding being distracted by electronic devices within his motor vehicle."
The lawsuit sought punitive damages along with damages ranging from $25k to $750k.
Rykwalder claimed Savannah was Grayson's legal guardian, so she was included in the lawsuit. In January 2023, she was granted shared legal guardianship over her brother.
Julie and Todd have replied to the complaint and refuted every accusation of misconduct. They also denied that the man was hurt in any way and the pair asked that the lawsuit be dropped.
Todd and Julie Chrisley’s son Grayson was hospitalized in 2022 car crash
According to TMZ, Grayson was taken to the hospital immediately after the 2022 accident. Due to what authorities believe to be a possible head injury, the reality star was unable to recall specifics of the collision.
Todd and Julie's then 16-year-old son was driving on I-65N on November 12 when, per the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, he hit the rear of a car that was entirely stopped in the traffic lane.
Grayson claimed he was suffering from a possible head injury and could not remember anything from the incident when police questioned him about what had transpired.
According to police reports, the other driver was hurt in the collision but refused to be taken to the hospital by ambulance.
Todd and Julie Chrisley recounted Grayson's accident on 'Chrisley Confessions' podcast
On the November 17 episode of the 'Chrisley Confessions' podcast, Todd and Julie talked about Grayson's accident and being carried away on a stretcher.
Todd said, "Grayson was in a horrific car accident on the interstate, and we got the phone call that we had to get to him."
"I ran out of the house, jumped in the car and found him on the interstate. The ambulance was there, the paramedics were there."
He continued by saying that the second vehicle had "significant damage" and their son's car was destroyed, per TODAY.
"I remember looking at Grayson on that stretcher in the back of that ambulance and him crying and the police stopping me to talk to me before they took me to him," Todd claimed.
"Then, they said, 'Do you want to ride with him to Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital?' and I said, ‘I’m not going anywhere. I will be with him until he comes home with me,’" he continued.
"So, I remember holding his hand and saying, ‘It’s OK. It’s gonna be OK.’" Todd continued, saying he felt "blessed" to have left the hospital with his son.
