Kevin Hart has addressed the car accident he was involved in last month. "I have nothing but love for Jared and wish him and Rebecca a speedy recovery," the comedian said in a statement to E! News, referring to the two other people that were with him during the crash.
Earlier in the day, TMZ detailed a report conducted by the California Highway Patrol on the Sept. 1 car accident involving Hart. The report suggests that Hart's friend Jared Black, who was behind the wheel at the time of the crash, suddenly accelerated the comedian's 1970 Plymouth Barracuda, causing the vehicle to spin out before crashing through a fence and winding up in an embankment.
In order to make these determinations into the cause of the crash, the CHP needed to entirely disassemble the car that Hart bought for himself for his 40th birthday earlier this year. By doing so, the report was able to eliminate the possibility that a mechanical issue contributed to the accident. However, it was confirmed that the vehicle didn't have safety harnesses.
The lack of safety harnesses or airbags in the Barracuda was said to be the primary argument in a potential lawsuit brought by Hart, Black, and his fiancé Rebecca Broxterman, who was in the backseat at the time of accident, against the unnamed company that customized his car. That suit may be in jeopardy now that the report indicated that all three people weren't wearing a seatbelt.
"There were fold and crease marks on the belt surfaces consistent with being folded and tucked into the seats and no indicators of occupant loading were present," the report says. Authorities believe that if the belts were actually worn, it was being done "improperly due to excessive slack in the belts."
The report makes note of the numerous features that Hart added to the car, including a 6.4L Hemi V-8 engine, and 720-horsepower, but mentions the absence of an anti-lock braking system. It also suggests that the vehicle was "not outfitted to carry rear seat passengers" since the backseats were replaced with plastic storage boxes.
Hart continues to work his way back from spinal surgery to fuse two fractures in his vertebrae. Despite currently going through physical therapy, Hart is involved in a marketing campaign to promote his upcoming sequel to Jumanji.
