Sunday, March 3, 2013

Ichiro Suzuki walks away from Tampa car crash

Ichiro Suzuki walked away from a three-car crash late Saturday afternoon after a woman cut off the New York Yankees outfielder on a Tampa highway.

His Land Rover wasn't so fortunate.

"He is fine," said Yankees general manger Brian Cashman.  "His interpreter called to let us know."

Ichiro was headed south on a Tampa highway about 4 p.m. when he slammed into a woman making a left hand turn in front of him, said Tampa police.  He had just finished playing a game against the Detroit Tigers and was about three miles from George M. Steinbrenner Field.

"He struck her," Tampa Lt. Ronald McMullen told The New York Post. "She ended up hitting a third car, but there were no injuries."



The female driver was cited for the accident.

"The officer didn't even know he played baseball," McMullen joked. "He said, 'I know the Rays but the Yankees?'"

It is unclear if the 39-year-old Ichiro, who was picked up last July from the Seattle Mariners, will miss any spring training games because of the fender bender.  The rightfielder was not scheduled to play the Red Sox in Ft. Myers on Sunday and the Yankees didn't say if he would make the two hour trip south.

The Bronx Bombers have already lost centerfielder Curtis Granderson for ten weeks due to a broken forearm and couldn't afford to lose another veteran outfielder.

You could say the crash gives new meaning to hitting the cut-off man — or in this case — woman.


1 comment: