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Friday 29 of March 2024

Boeheim deemed 'not reckless' in fatal crash, case is closed


AP Photo,FILE - In this Feb. 23, 2019, file photo, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim speaks at a news conference after the team's NCAA college basketball game against Duke, in Syracuse, N.Y. A New Yorker who was fatally struck by a vehicle driven by Syracuse University’s basketball coach is being remembered as family man who loved life. A funeral will be held on Thursday evening, Feb. 28 for Jorge Jimenez. Police say Coach Jim Boeheim accidentally struck Jimenez on Feb. 20 while trying to avoid a disabled vehicle. (AP Photo/Nick Lisi, File)
AP Photo,FILE - In this Feb. 23, 2019, file photo, Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim speaks at a news conference after the team's NCAA college basketball game against Duke, in Syracuse, N.Y. A New Yorker who was fatally struck by a vehicle driven by Syracuse University’s basketball coach is being remembered as family man who loved life. A funeral will be held on Thursday evening, Feb. 28 for Jorge Jimenez. Police say Coach Jim Boeheim accidentally struck Jimenez on Feb. 20 while trying to avoid a disabled vehicle. (AP Photo/Nick Lisi, File)

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim will not be charged in last month’s fatal highway accident and the case has been closed.

Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said Thursday that Boeheim was “not reckless.” He says that after reviewing the police accident report he decided to exercise his discretion in declining to file charges.

According to the report, Boeheim was driving 66 mph five seconds before impact and about 54 mph at impact. The disabled car on the dark highway was going 67 mph when it skidded out.

The report concluded that speed was not a contributing factor to the accident. There was no evidence that drugs or alcohol played a role.

Boeheim accidentally killed 51-year-old Jorge Jimenez at 11:20 p.m. on Feb. 20 while trying to avoid the disabled car. Jimenez had exited the car and was standing near the guardrail.