Heat's Haywood Highsmith cited for careless driving after involvement in car crash driving home from win over Magic

Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith was involved in a car accident driving home after their win over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night, the team confirmed on Wednesday afternoon. Highsmith was cited for careless driving after the crash, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, though he was not injured.

According to the Sun Sentinel, Highsmith was driving home from the arena around 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday. There was a disabled car stopped on the side of the road with its lights off, and a man was in the road helping a woman with her car. Highsmith wasn’t able to stop in time, per the report, and he hit both the stopped car and the man.

That reportedly sent the stopped car flying about 50 yards before it came to a stop. The man who was hit was later hospitalized in critical condition. Police said he was “suffering from a partial amputation on his right leg,” and had a fractured left leg and a possible broken left arm.

Highsmith was cited for driving in a “careless or negligent manner,” though that citation is not considered criminal.

Highsmith did not play in the Heat’s 116-104 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night. He's expected to join the team and practice again on Friday.

Highsmith issued a statement on Thursday night through his agent. He said he was not under the influence of anything at the time of the accident, nor was he speeding.

Highsmith played just three minutes in the Heat’s 121-95 win over the Magic at the Kaseya Center on Tuesday, and he did not score or record a stat. The 27-year-old has averaged a career-high 5.8 points and 2.8 rebounds this season, his third with the Heat. He’s in the final year of a three-year, $3.9 million deal with the team.

The Heat hold a 28-24 record, which is good for seventh in the Eastern Conference standings. They’ll host the Boston Celtics next on Sunday afternoon.