Rashee Rice Attorney Admits Receiver Was Driving Car That Crashed While Racing

Royce West, the attorney for Kansas City Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice, told reporters on Thursday that his client was driving one of the vehicles involved in a hit-and-run accident on a Texas highway over the weekend and was prepared to take responsibility for whatever damage he caused.

Rice, West acknowledged, has told police he was driving the rented Lamborghini that was captured on some phone cameras racing a Corvette before both cars slammed into other cars on the road.

West said Rice is taking full responsibility for his actions ... vowing to make whole anyone who was injured in the accident or had property damaged in the wreck.

Jan 13, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice (4) runs the ball against the Miami Dolphins during the second half of the 2024 AFC wild card game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Rashee Rice Wants To Make Victims Whole

"Mr. Rice wants to make certain," West said, "… that he's going to do everything in his power to bring their life back to as normal as possible," 

And while this is good that Rice is, through his attorney, now taking responsibility for his part in the accident, it doesn't change the fact he fled the scene of the accident on foot immediately after it happened.

That, no doubt, will be one of the charges the Dallas district attorney will consider against Rice when the police investigation is complete.

And there apparently will be charges.

"Yes," West said.

West said he was informed that authorities are planning to bring criminal charges in the case.

Chiefs wideout Rashee Rice.  (Photo by Ralf Ibing - firo sportphoto/Getty Images)

Rice Talks To Cops, Vows Cooperation

Rice and West met with local authorities this week and the attorney said Rice answered "every question" investigators with the Dallas Police Department had regarding the incident.

West added, "We will continue to cooperate with them."

The Chiefs receiver and his representation have obviously taken the tact that as much transparency as possible could lead to some sort of leniency in either the charging stage, negotiations with the district attorney, or in court.

That's probably smart considering the crash is on video and hard to dispute who is at fault.

West is also eager for reporters to view his client through the sum of his work in the public eye, rather than simply this one mistake.

"Why don't you do a story of who he is, as opposed to what occurred," Rice suggested to reporters at the press conference. "Because it seems as though what you're saying is based on this one incident, you're going to define him based on this incident, as opposed to his entire body of work."

(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Goodell, NFL To Decide Rice Fate

None of this addresses what the NFL is likely to do about the matter. The league has said it is aware of the incident and monitoring it as the process progresses.

If Rice, about to start his second season with the Chiefs and in the league, either pleads guilty or is convicted of any crime, he is subject to sanctions under the NFL's personnel conduct policy.

The fact is, just the negative publicity Rice has brought upon himself, the Chiefs and the league, makes him subject to personal conduct policy punishment.

That could include a suspension or a fine or both, per the policy.

The multi-vehicle crash happened Saturday evening on the Central Expressway near University Boulevard in Dallas. It injured four people.