1 week ago
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COPS have ruled-out drink and drugs as causes of West Ham star Michail Antonio’s horror crash, sources claim.
Officers are working on the basis no third-parties were involved in the moments before the £260,000 wrecked Ferrari FF was wrecked in Essex, on Saturday.
Michail’s Ferrari FF hit a tree in Theydon Bois, Essex, on SaturdayGetty
Steve Bell
UKNIP
PAAnd there has been no suggestion of excessive speeding – raising the spectre Antonio’s miracle escape could be a freak accident.
A source said: “Drink and drugs have already been ruled out, and officers are not currently looking for anyone else.
“There is no smoking gun as far as cops are concerned right now – but they have to investigate because the smash was so serious and caused such extensive injuries.
“Just because cops are involved doesn’t mean a crime has been committed.”
Skid-marks show Antonio was driving uphill from Theydon Bois to Waltham Abbey, when his motor slid off the road.
The crash took place at 12.50pm on Saturday as the front end of Storm Darragh swept across the country – with locals saying the route can be treacherous with run-off, in heavy rains.
The wreck of Antonio’s rare supercar was said to be in a tight-security lock-up – rather than the usual compound cars involved in crashes around the M25 in Essex.
Sources said it was set to be kept there in case investigators needed to examine it as part of an investigation into the star’s shocking near-miss.
The striker was continuing to recover from surgery to a broken leg on Tuesday, amid fears the fracture could shorten the 34-year-old’s career.
Dog walker Samuel Woods, also 34, told how Michail was seriously dazed when he saw him trapped in the ripped-apart motor.
Samuel told The Sun: “I said to him, ‘Hello’ to see if anyone was alive. He was so disorientated. He said, ‘Where am I? What’s going on? What car am I in?’ I couldn’t believe what happened.”
The driver’s side of the high-powered car was ripped apart by the impact with a tree in Theydon Bois, Essex, on Saturday.
Michail was sent flying across the interior to the passenger side.
Drivers reported seeing smoke pouring from the motor.
The star was trapped inside the supercar for almost an hour in the wreckage before being airlifted from the scene.
He had to be cut free from the 2011 Ferrari FF and was rushed to hospital.
Cops have appealed for dashcam footage in a bid to understand the lead-up to the smash.
They said an investigation by its Roads Policing Unit had been opened.
In a heartfelt tribute, Hammers stars wore shirts featuring Antonio’s name and number ahead of their clash with Wolves at London Stadium.
Team-mate Jarrod Bowen said: “Mic has been longer than I have, everyone loves him. He’s a big character in here.
“Those few hours on Saturday were difficult. He’s not just a team-mate he’s a friend of ours, he’s been a friend of ours for many years. A dad as well to beautiful children.
“And you see the support, I just want to say thank you for all the support from everyone.”
Michail moved to West Ham from Nottingham Forest in 2015 for £7 million,
He has since become the top Premier League scorer for the East London club, with 68 goals in 268 games.
The athlete also co-hosts the BBC’s Footballer’s Football podcast alongside Callum Wilson from Newcastle.
Michail Antonio’s incredible rise
By Jon Boon
The outpouring of love from the football community for Michael Antonio has been massive, with the striker recognised as a big character in the game.
The Wandsworth-born forward started from humble beginnings – playing for non-league Tooting & Mitcham United.
After impressing in 2008, he was offered a trial at Reading – some five divisions up – and Alan Pardew duly snapped him up.
However, he later revealed he got kicked out by Tooting, after he refused to sign a contract.
Antonio said: “They kicked me out because I refused to sign a contract.
“I was like: ‘If someone comes in for me I don’t want to be tied down. I want to be able to go and not you out price me’.”
Following spells at Sheffield Wednesday and Nottingham Forest, in 2015 he was plucked from the Championship in a £7million deal by West Ham.
He’s been there ever since, winning a player of the year award, twice being named Premier League player of the month and lifting a European trophy.
Away from football, Antonio has bravely opened up about his mental health struggles in recent times.
The Jamaica international was recently asked by Gary Lineker on the Rest is Football podcast what he would like to do when he retires from the game.
He revealed: “I want to go into entertainment.
“So more on the basis of A League of Their Own, Play to the Whistle…”
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