Super Bowl winner Rashee Rice, a wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs, is under investigation after allegedly striking a photographer at a Dallas, Texas nightclub. The incident reportedly happened early Monday morning, May 6, 2024 at the Lit Kitchen nightclub. Rice is also embroiled in a legal battle stemming from a high-speed crash earlier this year.
Alleged Assault at Nightclub
An incident report details what transpired at the nightclub. According to the photographer, he initially left the after-hours party at 1:30 a.m. but returned after receiving an Instagram message from Rice at 2 a.m. The photographer believed Rice wanted to hire him for a photoshoot. Upon returning to the nightclub, Rice showed the photographer Instagram messages between the photographer and an unidentified individual.
While the photographer was looking at Rice’s phone, Rice allegedly punched him on the left side of his face, causing visible swelling on his jaw. The heavily redacted police report identifies Rice as the suspect. Although Rice wasn’t formally charged in this case, the photographer filed a complaint with the Dallas Police Department.
The Chiefs have not made any public statements about the incident, nor has Rice.
High-Speed Crash Investigation
Rice surrendered to authorities in April for his role in a car crash that occurred on March 30 in Dallas. An arrest affidavit obtained by the local media revealed that Rice was driving a Lamborghini on the left shoulder of the North Central Expressway at 119 mph when SMU defensive back Theodore Knox’s Corvette struck his vehicle. The impact caused Rice’s Lamborghini to hit the center median wall, leading to collisions with four other cars.
The Texas Department of Transportation crash report states that Rice and Knox were speeding over 115 mph before the crash. A total of eight people, including two children, were involved in the crash and sustained injuries ranging from lacerations to internal bleeding. Photos later surfaced, showing Rice and his passengers walking away from the scene without aiding the injured.
In an Instagram post, Rice apologized, saying, “I fully accept responsibility for my role in this incident and will work with the authorities. I deeply apologize to everyone affected by Saturday’s accident.”
Rice and Knox turned themselves in to Glenn Heights police in April and were released on a $40,000 bond each. Both face eight felony charges, including six counts of collision involving bodily injury, one count of aggravated assault, and one count of collision involving serious bodily injury.
Lawsuit Details
Two lawsuits have been filed against Rice, Knox, and other parties. One lawsuit by Kamlesh Desai seeks more than $1 million to cover medical bills and other related expenses. The other lawsuit by Edvard Petrovskiy and Irina Gromova seeks over $10 million in punitive damages for injuries that include brain trauma, facial lacerations, disfigurement, and internal bleeding.
A court granted a temporary restraining order on May 3 to prevent Rice and others from destroying evidence, including credit card receipts and phone records. The next hearing on the lawsuit is scheduled for June.
Rice remains with the Chiefs and participated in the team’s offseason training program via video calls. Coach Andy Reid stated that the team would “let the law enforcement part of it take place” before making any decisions. The NFL is also monitoring the developments and could impose disciplinary action. Multiple insiders suggest that Rice could face a suspension lasting at least half a season.
Rice had a successful rookie season in 2023, recording 938 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
