A Texas court issued a default judgment of more than $2.8 million against Theodore Knox on Wednesday for his role in a 2024 street racing crash that injured multiple people.
The court found Knox grossly negligent in the Dallas highway collision
Judge Kim Bailey Phipps ruled that Knox, a former Southern Methodist University teammate of Kansas City Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice, was “grossly negligent” after losing control of his rented Corvette on March 30, 2024. The crash occurred on Dallas’ North Central Expressway when Rice was driving a rented Lamborghini Urus at 119 mph. Knox was not present for the hearing, and no attorney appeared on his behalf in court records.
Kuykendall awarded nearly $2.88 million in damages
The judgment awarded Kathryn Kuykendall, one of the victims, $2.88 million, covering punitive damages, medical expenses, lost earnings, and non-economic harm. This follows two earlier default judgments against Knox in January, which totaled $3.62 million for victims Irina Gromova and Edvard Petrovskiy. Combined, the three judgments now exceed $6.5 million.
Rice’s related legal proceedings continue amid attorney changes
Rice’s case is set for trial on June 9, though he recently changed attorneys after Royce West and Craig Capua withdrew. Thomas M. McMurray filed a motion to become Rice’s counsel. The NFL closed its investigation into Rice on April 3, citing insufficient evidence to support a violation of the personal conduct policy. Rice also faces a separate lawsuit alleging repeated assault by Dacoda Jones from 2023 to 2025, which prosecutors say they have been unable to serve despite four visits to his Dallas-area residence.
Why was Knox not present at the hearing?
Knox did not attend the hearing, and no attorney was listed for him in court records. ESPN reported that messages left with him on the day of the initial default judgment filing went unreturned.
What happens next in the legal cases involving Rice and Knox?
Rice’s street-racing case proceeds to trial on June 9. Knox has not responded to the judgments, and no further legal action by him has been reported. The NFL has concluded its investigation into Rice, finding insufficient evidence of a personal conduct policy violation.
