ATLANTA, GEORGIA: Michael Sterling, Eva Marcille's estranged husband, is being sued for allegedly causing a car crash while driving under the influence. However, he has pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charges in the case against him just weeks after the 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' alum slapped him with divorce papers.
As per the civil lawsuit, on February 4, 2022, a Georgia resident Cody Clark claimed he was driving a 2014 Toyota Camry in Sandy Springs, Georgia, in a "safe, careful prudent manner" with Lauren Hammett as a passenger. Meanwhile, Sterling, an Atlanta-based lawyer was driving in an adjacent lane on the highway in his 2011 Ford Mustang GT when he allegedly "slamm[ed] directly into the rear of [the Camry], causing it to spin out of control until it collided with the concrete median on the right side of the road," according to Page Six.
Sterling allegedly operated his vehicle 'carelessly and unlawfully'
The Georgian couple alleged that the former mayoral candidate was "driving recklessly and following too closely," and further accused him of "negligently, carelessly and unlawfully” operating his vehicle "by driving under the influence."
Clark and Hammett claimed they suffered a loss in wages and suffered mental and emotional distress following the crash in which they were "hurt and suffered multiple injuries that cost them $2,000 in medical bills. The couple also claimed they are unable "to live a normal life" due to the "violence of the collision."
Sterling's attorney claimed his client did not drive under the influence of alcohol
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In April 2022, Sterling's lawyer wrote a letter to prosecutors and insisted that his client "was not driving under the influence of alcohol that night." The attorney also maintained that despite having "worked a long day" ahead of the accident, he was "fully oriented, awake, alert, and cooperative."
The attorney then claimed that following the crash, Sterling was brought to the emergency room where "an independent medical examination was performed by medical professionals in the presence of the officer" who arrived at the scene.
"The medical professionals disagreed with the officer and indicated in their report that 'despite injection of his eyes, [Sterling] otherwise does not have any slurred speech or inebriation at this time,' " the attorney lawyer stated and pointed out that "no odor or smell of alcohol" was noted in the medical report, either.
Speaking of the "injection of his eyes," the lawyer claimed that Sterling has been diagnosed with the condition conjunctival edema that is characterized by "redness, swelling and watery eyes” — a few months before the crash and was prescribed a steroid that he “uses … to this date," and also noted that "the accident occurred on a rainy night on a highway with ongoing construction."
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