Attorney for Dwayne Haskins' widow says he was 'targeted and drugged' before his death

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Dwayne Haskins, the record-setting Ohio State quarterback who died after being hit on a Florida highway in 2022, was "targeted and drugged as part of a blackmail and robbery conspiracy," according to a new lawsuit.

Rick Ellsley, of the Ellsley Law Firm in Florida, released a statement on the firm's website sharing further details.

His highly-expensive watch was stolen from him shortly before his death," the statement read.

Haskins died after being struck by a dump truck on Interstate 595 in Broward County, Fla. He was walking along the interstate in the early-morning hours of April 9, 2022, looking to get gas while under the influence of alcohol.

His blood-alcohol level was .20, two and a half times the legal limit in Florida, according to an autopsy report.

Ellsley filed the lawsuit in Broward County last month on behalf of Hasksins' widow, Kalabrya Haskins.

The complaint also alleges that the truck driver refused to provide a blood sample to police after the crash, and that he was speeding, "carrying excessive cargo, had brake system problems, and was traveling on low tread tires with separated sidewalls."

The lawsuit names numerous defendants, and alleges that the deadly crash was avoidable. Most of Ellsley's statement focused on the truck and the truck driver and the circumstances of the crash. There wasn't much follow-up to the blackmail and robbery allegations.

Haskins set several records as Ohio State's quarterback in 2018, finishing third in Heisman voting and earning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and Rose Bowl MVP honors. He was drafted by the Washington Commanders.

He was released following his second season and signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers in January 2021. He signed a one-year, restricted free-agent deal following the 2021 season, just weeks before his death.