$25M Wrongful Death Suit Against Former Commanders Players Resolved: Report

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA – A wrongful death lawsuit against several former Washington Commanders players has been resolved, according to a new report.

The lawsuit stems from a fatal 2021 accident in Loudoun County involving then-Commanders player Dehsazor Everett and his 29-year-old girlfriend, Olivia Peters, who was raised in Montgomery County, MD. Everett would face charges over the crash.

Prosecutors said Everett was driving a 2010 Nissan GT-R on Gum Spring Road near Ticonderoga Road around 9:15 p.m. on Dec. 23, 2021, when he hit speeds of more than 90 mph on the winding road and lost control of the vehicle. Peters died of injuries sustained in the crash.

Everett pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor reckless driving charge in 2022, after originally having been charged with involuntary manslaughter. Peters’ family supported the reduced charge.

However, in 2023, Kathleen Peters, Olivia Peters’ mother, filed a $25 million lawsuit against Everett, Jamin Davis and Benjamin St-Juste, all Commanders players, as well as a mutual friend, auto shop owner Shadidul Islam, WTOP reported. According to the lawsuit, the friends had planned to race and drive recklessly through Loudoun County and repeatedly texted and called each other to discuss it ahead of the accident.

According to Loudoun Now, the suit alleged wrongful death through negligence, wrongful death through violation of law, civil conspiracy leading to wrongful death, and aiding and abetting wrongful death, and sought $25 million in damages.

The outlet, citing someone with knowledge of the case, reports that the lawsuit has been resolved, and the court is expected to enter judgment against Everett without opposition, with a hearing on the resolution scheduled for November.

Read more from Loudoun Now here.