Miami Heat's Haywood Highsmith cited for careless driving after man critically injured

Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith was cited for reckless driving for his involvement in a car accident that left a man with a partially amputated leg.

Highsmith was on his way home from Miami's Kaseya Center Tuesday evening following the Heat's 121-85 win over the Orlando Magic – where Highsmith played three scoreless minutes – when the incident happened.

According to a Miami-Dade Police Department crash report obtained by the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Highsmith was driving 45 miles per hour, five mph above the posted speed limit, when he crashed into a disabled car in the road with its lights off. A man, who was helping the owner of the disabled car in the road, was directly behind the vehicle when it was struck by Highsmith, the crash report added. The car traveled 50 to 60 yards after impact.

The man was transported to the hospital in critical condition with "a partial amputation on his right leg,” a fractured left leg and a possible broken left arm, the report said.

USA TODAY Sports reached out to the Miami-Dade Police Department for comment.

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Highsmith, who was not injured in the crash, was cited for driving in a “careless or negligent manner," Miami-Dade Police spokesperson Angel Rodriguez told the Sun Sentinel.

"Our hearts go out to those who were injured," the Heat said in a statement issued to USA TODAY Sports.

Highsmith was ruled out of the Heat's 116-104 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night due to "personal reasons."

Highsmith played collegiate basketball at Wheeling University from 2014 to 2018, and, after going undrafted in the 2018 NBA draft, he signed with the NBA G League's Delaware Blue Coat. Highsmith had stints with the Blue Coats and Philadelphia 76ers before singing a three-year deal with the Heat in December 2022.

He's averaging 5.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists, while shooting 43.1% from the field through 37 games this season.