Vince McMahon Avoids Charges in Car Accident
STAMFORD, Conn. – Vince McMahon, former WWE CEO, has been authorized to participate in a pre-trial program, thus resolving an accusation of reckless driving stemming from an accident that occurred this summer in Connecticut.
A state Superior Court judge ruled Thursday that McMahon could enter the program, as long as he made a charitable contribution of $1,000 and only drove if he had the proper license and insurance. If he meets these conditions, the charges of reckless driving and another charge for following too closely will be dismissed in a year.
McMahon was accused of causing a crash on July 24 on the Merritt Parkway in Westport, which destroyed his Bentley and damaged two other cars, according to state police.
No one was injured in the accident, and the other drivers did not object to McMahon’s request for the pre-trial program.
The police report indicated that McMahon was driving north on the highway, also known as Route 15, when he rear-ended a BMW and crashed into a wooden guardrail. A car traveling in the southbound lanes hit debris from the crash that flew over the guardrail.
McMahon did not speak during the brief hearing. His lawyer, Mark Sherman, later stated that “not all car accidents are a crime. That’s what happened here, an accident”.
McMahon resigned as WWE CEO in 2022 amid a company investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct. He also stepped down as executive chairman of the TKO Group Holdings board, WWE’s parent company, last year, a day after a former WWE employee filed a lawsuit against him for sexual abuse. McMahon has denied the allegations. The lawsuit is still pending.
McMahon bought what was then the World Wrestling Federation in 1982 and transformed it from a regional wrestling company into a global phenomenon. In addition to running the company with his wife, Linda, who is now the United States Secretary of Education, he also performed at WWE events as himself.
