New England Patriots linebacker Darius Fleming played last weekend’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs with more than 20 stitches in his leg. Fleming says he suffered the injury while saving a woman from a burning vehicle, but the lack of confirmation from local law enforcement and emergency personnel is starting to get a bit uncomfortable.
Shortly after Fleming’s inspiration story went viral, TMZ called several law enforcement agencies and emergency responders in the area where Fleming says the accident occurred and determined that there is no record of the accident.
In addition to the Massachusetts State Police, TMZ contacted the Foxborough, Wrentham, Norwood, Walpole, Plainville and Sharon police and fire departments. None of them had any record of a crash similar to the one Fleming described. Fleming said the crash occurred outside a Dunkin’ Donuts shop off Rt. 1 near Gillette Stadium, but no Dunkin’ Donuts within a five-mile radius of the stadium had any information either.
Of course, that doesn’t mean Fleming is lying. It is, however, bizarre that reporters are having a difficult time confirming an accident that Fleming says involved three vehicles. The former Notre Dame star described the incident to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe in great detail.
Fleming, a fourth-year pro who signed with the Patriots in late November, said the accident occurred just north of a Dunkin’ Donuts on Route 1 Thursday night as he was driving home from practice.
Fleming said a semi-truck stopped abruptly and attempted to make a sharp right turn, and three cars behind it piled up. Fleming pulled over, and didn’t think the accident was serious at first. But then he saw the woman crawl into the passenger seat, then to the back seat, and then he noticed smoke billowing from the car.
By the time Fleming reached her vehicle, she had moved back to the front passenger seat.
“She was attempting to kick the window out, but she was a small lady,” said Fleming, who estimated that the woman was in her late 20s. “I didn’t panic, but I was just like, ‘I got to get her out.’
“I tried to break [the window] with my elbow, but that didn’t work, so I just started kicking the window. Eventually it broke, pulled her out, made sure she was OK, and I looked at my leg and I noticed it was bleeding pretty bad.”
Fleming said he drove to the stadium for treatment after spending a few minutes with the woman he saved. He didn’t get her name, but he says he left when a woman from a nearby building arrived at the scene.
Volin was also unable to confirm anything with local authorities.
I'm having same issue as TMZ: Neither Foxboro, Wrentham, Walpole or Mass State police say they have record of car crash described by Fleming
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) January 20, 2016
Eventually, a reporter was able to confirm via the Walpole police log that there was a multi-vehicle accident on Rt. 1 last Thursday.
On Darius Fleming, per Walpole police log, there was a multi-vehicle accident last Thursday 4:19 p.m. on Rte 1 & Foxhill Drive, no injuries
— Chris Villani (@ChrisVillani44) January 20, 2016
While the Walpole police are scheduled to put out a press release on the accident, one law enforcement official went as far as to tell TMZ that he or she believes Fleming’s story is “starting to look like Manti Te’o.” As we know, Te’o made up a fake girlfriend and told people she passed away.
If Fleming did fabricate the story (and I really don’t think he did), it would be more like the situation when a USC player claimed he saved a child from drowning to cover up how he hurt himself.
UPDATE: Walpole Police confirmed that there was an accident, and the details make it clear Fleming was telling the truth.
