Former Gophers defensive back Benjamin St-Juste, along with Washington Commanders teammates Jamin Davis and Deshazor Everett, has been named as a defendant in a wrongful death lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed by Olivia Peters’ mother on Dec. 22 in Loudoun County, Va., alleges that the three individuals were engaged in a high-speed race that resulted in Peters’ fatal crash. Seeking $25 million in damages and a jury trial, the lawsuit contends that the defendants were driving recklessly on Dec. 23, 2021, causing Peters’ injuries and death. Additionally, it claims that Everett’s car, equipped with illegal nitrous oxide, racing tires, and a roll cage, contributed to the tragic incident.
At the time of the crash, St-Juste, Davis, and Everett were teammates with the Washington Commanders. The Washington Post reported that Everett had recorded the events on a GoPro.
St-Juste, who played for the Gophers from 2019-20 and was selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft by the Commanders, is implicated in the lawsuit. Despite initial findings by the Loudoun County Sheriff’s office indicating that Everett was traveling at speeds exceeding 90 mph, conflicting evidence from a black box and witness accounts emerged. St-Juste informed the police that Everett’s speed was around 50 mph. Everett, initially charged with involuntary manslaughter, ultimately pleaded guilty to reckless driving and received a three-month house arrest sentence, along with a suspended license, according to the Washington Post.
