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The Kansas City Chiefs reportedly expect wide receiver Rashee Rice to be suspended for "at least half" of the 2024 NFL season due to his role in a multi-vehicle crash in March, former NFL Network reporter James Palmer revealed during the latest episode of former NFL wide receiver Steve Smith Sr.'s podcast released on Wednesday (May 1).
Palmer's prediction echoes ESPN's Adam Schefter's previous report last month that Rice was expected to face "at least a multi-game suspension."
Rice, 24, who surrendered to police in Dallas on April 11, is facing one count of aggravated assault, one count of collision involving serious bodily injury and six counts of collision involving injury in relation to a six-vehicle crash that occurred on March 30. The Chiefs selected former University of Texas wide receiver at No. 28 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft last week after Schefter had previously reported that the team would target the position in the first-round, citing general manager Brett Veach, who previously referred to the class of wide receiver prospects as "one of the deeper classes."
The Dallas Police Department previously said it was searching for Rice as he was suspected to have been involved in a race that resulted in the six-vehicle accident on March 30, the Dallas Morning News reported on March 31. Rice and his attorney, Texas state Sen. Royce West, had previously confirmed the wide receiver's involvement in the crash following several reports.
Videos shared online appear to show Rice and others walking away from the scene of the crash.
Dashcam footage captured by a vehicle traveling behind the crash shows the accident take place before three men exit a vehicle, which is believed to be registered or leased to Rice stopped on the highway with its hazard lights flashing. Another video shared online shows four men walking on the side of the highway and leaving the scene while the person recording acknowledges that "they just left a f*****g Lamborghini and a Corvette," before making the false assumption that they "they stole them, I bet."
Rice, who grew up in North Richland Hills, a suburb of Fort Worth, and attended Southern Methodist University, was listed on a police call sheet obtained by the newspaper. The crash took place in the 6600 block of North Central Expressway after a driver in a Chevrolet Corvette -- suspected to be Rice -- and a driver in a Lamborghini were seen speeding near the SMU campus before both lost control of their vehicles, Dallas Police spokeswoman Kristin Lowman said via the Dallas Morning News.
Lowman said the Lamborghini was spotted on the shoulder of the road before it "hit the center median wall, causing a chain reaction collision involving four other vehicles."
The occupants of both the Lamborghini and Corvette fled the scene without proving information or seeing if any other individuals involved in the accident needed medical attention, according to Lowman. Two other drivers were treated for minor injuries at the scene and two others were taken to the hospital for minor injuries.
Rice was selected by the Chiefs at No. 55 overall in the second-round of the 2023 NFL Draft and served as the team's primary wide receiver during his rookie season. The former SMU standout recorded 79 receptions for 938 yards and seven touchdowns during the regular season and 26 receptions for 262 yards and one touchdown during the postseason run through Super Bowl LVIII.