PITTSBURGH — Dwayne Haskins’ wife told a 911 dispatcher that the quarterback was walking to get gas on the morning he was struck and killed by a dump truck on a Florida highway, audio released by the Broward County Sheriff’s office revealed Wednesday.
Kalabrya Haskins told the 911 dispatcher that her husband called her early April 9 and told her he was getting out of his vehicle to get gas and that he would call her back when he returned to the car. When she didn’t hear back, she called 911 and requested that dispatch check on him.
Haskins, who was in Florida that weekend to train with Pittsburgh Steelers teammates, was struck and killed by a dump truck on Interstate 595 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, close to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International airport.
In the 911 call, the dispatcher told Haskins’ wife that there was a report of an accident near where she said her husband got out of his car, but she couldn’t confirm if he was involved. The audio released Wednesday also included calls from witnesses who said they saw the dump truck hit a man.
A final crash report released by the Florida Highway Patrol said Haskins was walking on the westbound side of I-595 when he entered into the travel lanes and into the path of the dump truck, which was traveling in the center lane. The front left of the dump truck struck Haskins.
The report concluded that Haskins was improperly in the roadway, and the driver of the dump truck wasn’t found to have taken any actions that contributed to the accident, based on the judgment of the investigation officer. Haskins was also struck by a second car traveling beside the dump truck that took evasive maneuvers to avoid him, but partially hit him on its right side undercarriage, according to the report.
A third vehicle may have also been involved, the report said, based on one witness’ account. Haskins was pronounced dead at the scene by Captain Rod Watkins of the Fort Lauderdale Fire Department at 6:48 a.m. He was 24.
The accident remains under investigation.
The first of three memorial services for Haskins will take place in Pittsburgh on Friday at 11 a.m. at Allegheny Center Alliance Church. There will also be a service Saturday at noon at Christ Church in Rockaway Township, New Jersey, and at Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland, on Sunday.
“My husband was more than a great football player,” Kalabrya Haskins said in a statement earlier this week. “He had the smile of a rainbow that touched the diversity of so many. He will forever rest and remain in our hearts til the end of time.”