Charlotte Hornets Player LaMelo Ball Escapes Car Crash
The authorities are being tight-lipped about the investigation.
Published Feb. 19 2026, 10:18 a.m. ET
Charlotte Hornets player LaMelo Ball is consistently in the headlines. From trade rumors to news about his November 2024 fine for using offensive, anti-LGBTQIA+ language, the 24-year-old is no stranger to controversy. However, the baller is back in the news for a serious reason: a car crash.
On Feb. 18, 2026, the athlete was involved in a car accident in uptown Charlotte. The investigation into the incident is ongoing, but fans have been very vocal about their grievances against the NBA star. Here’s the 4-1-1.
What was the cause of the car crash?
According to The Charlotte Observer, the minor collision occurred at the intersection of South Tyron and West Trade streets around 4:30 p.m. The outlet reports that witnesses provided accounts pointing to LaMelo’s reckless driving as the likely cause of the accident.
Witnesses told the outlet that they saw one of the wheels on LaMelo’s camo Hammer truck fall off as the truck crashed into a silver sedan. Interestingly, the manager of Sweet Green said that the NBA star “never got out of his car.” Immediately after the incident, he says that he was escorted to another car.
The manager of the nearby Halal Food Court shared that he heard “a noise, a huge bump” and saw “two cars completely damaged.” Zee Khan, an employee of the Hala Food Court, shared that by 4:50 p.m., the start of his shift, the road was “clear.”
Interestingly, MEDIC shared that one person was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, but league sources confirmed that LaMelo didn’t sustain any injuries and is doing fine. That said, it appears the person driving the sedan may have been injured.
Charlotte police have yet to publicly release any information about the incident.
This is not the first time LaMelo has been involved in a car accident.
In October 2023, a 12-year-old boy was a victim of an accident allegedly caused by LaMelo after a scrimmage game played at the Spectrum Center. Per a Mecklenburg County lawsuit, Tamaria McRae, the mother of young fan Angell Joseph, alleges that LaMelo sped off as Angell tried to get an autograph. As a result, Angell’s foot was run over, and he fell to the ground.
Although the lawsuit against LaMelo is still ongoing — the Hornets were removed as a co-defendant — The Charlotte Observer reports that the case is in mediation.
That said, fans are convinced that LaMelo shouldn’t be driving in Charlotte. In fact, many say that his license should be revoked.
As of now, LaMelo has not made any statements regarding the car accident. And due to his past incident, it’s safe to assume that he won’t utter a word.