NFL Player Gets 3 Months House Arrest For Killing Girlfriend In High-Speed Crash

Loudoun County VA – Former Washington Commanders safety and special teams captain Deshazor Everett was sentenced to three months of house arrest for reckless driving that led to the death of his girlfriend last year.

Everett, 29, was initially charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the death of 29-year-old Olivia Peters.

He pleaded guilty to misdemeanor reckless driving/failure to maintain control of the vehicle on July 20, ESPN reported.

Loudoun County prosecutors said Peters’ family supported the reduction of charges from a felony to a misdemeanor, WTOP reported.

Prosecutors said the family had had time to “fully reflect” and decided to consider what their daughter would want, knowing the nature of her relationship with Everett.

Christina Brady, a prosecutor for the Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, said the family supported the National Football League (NFL) player being sentenced to outreach and community service, WTOP reported.

Everett and Peters’ mothers hugged in the courtroom after the sentencing.

District Court Judge Deborah Welsh ruled in favor of a joint request from prosecutors and the defense and sentenced Everett to 12 months in jail, with nine months suspended, according to WTOP.

Welsh agreed to defense attorney Kaveh Noorishad’s request that Everett be allowed to serve the three months under house arrest so he could continue rehab for the injuries that he sustained in the crash with the ultimate goal of returning to NFL.

“If his bones don’t heal properly, he’ll never play football — Olivia would want him to be able to succeed,” Noorishad told the judge.

Welsh suspended Everett’s driver’s license for six months and ordered him to do perform 100 of community service in the local area and pay a $2,500 fine, The Washington Post reported.

She also ordered the former NFL player to make a Public Service Announcement (PSA) about reckless driving, WTOP reported.

”People look up to you. Make this video. Have an impact. I wish you much luck with this,” Welsh told the football player.

The judge imposed the proposed sentence ordering Everett to make a public service announcement, "to be circulated to the NFL" about the dangers of reckless driving. He was also ordered to do 100 hours of community service. Olivia Peters family members supported the sentencing.

— Neal Augenstein (@AugensteinWTOP) September 8, 2022

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) said in a press release that the fatal crash occurred at about 9:15 p.m. on Dec. 23, 2021 while 29-year-old Deshazor Everett was driving on Gum Spring Road near Ticonderoga Road in Loudoun County.

Everett was following Washington Commanders teammates Jamin Davis and Benjamin St-Juste, whom he and his girlfriend had just gone out with to dinner, ESPN reported.

LCSO said Everett lost control of the 2010 Nissan GT-R and the car left the road, struck several trees, and then flipped over.

A witness who called 911 told the dispatcher that the car was “trapped in the trees,” ESPN reported.

Peters was riding in the passenger seat when they crashed and was seriously injured.

She was transported to a nearby hospital where she later died, according to ESPN.

Peters worked as a therapist for special needs and underprivileged children.

Everett was also injured in the crash and spent four days in the hospital after the wreck, The Washington Post reported.

LCSO investigators determined that Everett was driving “over twice the posted 45 mph speed limit just prior to the crash,” ESPN reported.

Defense attorneys had asked the judge to postpone sentencing until March of 2023 so it wouldn’t interfere with football season.

The Washington Commanders released Everett a month after his fatal crash and the safety is currently a free agent.

But Welsh refused to delay sentencing for football, WTOP reported.

“Regardless of your profession, everyone in this court is treated equally, and that includes to be sentenced in a timely manner,” the judge said. “Just like everyone else who has to take off from work, players can be subpoenaed.”