The college football athlete involved in a car accident that led to the deaths of a woman and two young children has previously had multiple incidents with law enforcement related to his driving, according to reports.
Adarius Hayes, a linebacker for Miami, sustained injuries during the crash that took the lives of 78-year-old Gail Price, 10-year-old Jabari Elijah Solomon, and 4-year-old Charlie Herbert Solomon Rivera.
Herbert Rivera, another passenger in their vehicle, aged 58, was seriously injured and went to the hospital. This tragic incident occurred when Hayes, operating a Dodge SUV, collided with a Kia Soul as it was executing a left turn on Saturday.
The crash took place in Largo, Florida, and 20-year-old Hayes was also taken to the hospital. His injuries were described as non-life threatening and, on Monday morning, Miami Athletics confirmed that he had been released.
Alcohol is not thought to have played a role in the crash, with police telling the Miami Herald that ‘there were no signs of impairment with either driver’.
No one had been charged as of Sunday, with police still searching for answers – including how fast the two cars were traveling.
Adarius Hayes was behind the wheel in a fatal crash that killed a woman and two children
Hayes, driving a Dodge SUV, collided with a Kia Soul as it was making a left turn on Saturday
Police are still searching for answers, including how fast the two cars were traveling
But, as reported by the Miami Herald, Hayes has been slapped with several fines over the past couple of years – including over another crash when he ‘collided’ with a vehicle.
Just a couple of months ago, on March 1, he was given a ticket for going 84mph in a 55mph zone in Clearwater – just a few miles from last week’s fatal crash.
Hayes paid a fine of $249.50, which was cut by $31.50 after he undertook a driving course. In November 2024, meanwhile, he paid a fine of $166 after being accused of ‘pulling out in front of a vehicle going the same direction’.
Hayes was slapped with the same fine over another improper lane charge – this time in Largo – back in November 2023.
The 20-year-old linebacker briefly had his license suspended in May 2023 after a crash in February of that year.
He was reportedly given a ticket for ‘failure to use care’ after he ‘operated the vehicle inattentively and unaware of surroundings, collided into (a) vehicle.’
His license was suspended on May 12, 2023, after he failed to complete a driving school in March. It was reinstated two weeks later after he paid a $207 fine.
Two years on, according to WKRN, Hayes was ‘distraught’ after the fatal crash, which took place in his hometown of Largo, near Tampa.
The 20-year-old is a linebacker with the Hurricanes, where he played alongside Cam Ward – the No 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
The 20-year-old Hayes is a linebacker with the University of Miami Hurricanes
Hayes was reportedly ‘distraught’ after the crash, which took place in his hometown of Largo
Pictures from the scene showed serious damage to the Durango’s front end, while parts of the green Kia were strewn across the road. The car itself appeared to be on the sidewalk, facing the wrong direction.
A witness, who claimed to have been the ‘first one’ on the scene after the crash, told WFLA: ‘I started calling for somebody (to) call 911 because there was a child.’
They said the tragedy occurred on a road where cars often race at speeds of up to 80mph.
‘(People) come down here and they’re racing their car or they’re speeding, (they) come through here at 60, 70, 80 miles an hour even, and many times we call the police. Not much changes,’ they told WFLA.
Hayes, who appeared in 11 games during the 2024 season, was recruited by the Hurricanes after leaving high school as one of the country’s top-ranked linebackers.
He was a highly-coveted prospect who also received offers from a host of other top programs including Florida, Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame and Ohio States.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Miami University Athletics told the Daily Mail: ‘We are aware of a car crash that occurred on the afternoon of May 10 in Largo, Fla., involving student-athlete Adarius Hayes.
‘Adarius was hospitalized and released, and we are currently working to gather more information. We are deeply saddened to learn the crash resulted in three fatalities, as confirmed by Largo Police, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those lost.’
