Court rules against SMU’s Theodore Knox in $2.8M judgment

A Texas court on Wednesday ruled against a default of more than $2.8 million. Theodore Knoxco-defendant in a lawsuit kansas city chiefs RECEIVER Rashi Rice Originating from a 2024 street racing accident in Dallas.

Judge Kim Bailey Phipps ruled that Knox, one of Rice’s classmates at Southern Methodist University, was “grossly negligent” when she and Rice lost control of their cars and crashed on a central Dallas highway on March 30, 2024.

The judgment was governed by presentence, meaning that the judgment was given based on written documents and previously filed evidence. Knox was not present for the hearing, and there was no attorney listed for him in court records. Messages left with Knox on the day of the initial default judgment filing were not returned.

Rice’s case is scheduled to be heard on June 9. Rice’s name is also registered on 16 February trial The lawsuit, filed by Dekoda Jones, alleges that Rice repeatedly attacked her during an 18-month period from 2023 to 2025, including strangling her in December 2023.

According to the court filing, Jones’ attorneys said they have been unable to serve him on the lawsuit despite visiting Rice’s Dallas-area home four times.

The NFL closed its investigation against Rice on April 3, determining there was “insufficient evidence to support a conclusion that he violated the personal conduct policy.”

Lawyers are changing in the Rice street-racing case. According to court filings, Royce West and Craig Capua have withdrawn as counsel for Rice and Thomas M. McMurray has filed a motion to become counsel for Rice.

In Wednesday’s ruling against Knox, the court awarded nearly $2.88 million in compensation to Katherine Kuykendall, one of the victims in the case, which includes punitive damages and the cost of medical expenses, lost earnings and non-economic damages.

Kuykendall’s attorney Mark Lenahan told ESPN in a statement when the motion was initially filed, “We have asked the court to grant default judgment because we need to do due diligence ethically.” “Personally, it pleases us that Teddy [Knox] He hasn’t made any other mistakes that we know of. If any team gives him a chance to prove that he is on the right path now, we will support him.”

SMU suspended Knox after the accident.

In January, the court issued default judgments against Knox for two other victims in the same case, awarding $1.99 million to Irina Gromova and $1.63 million in combined actual and punitive damages.

Rice was the driver of a rented Lamborghini Urus SUV going 119 mph on the North Central Expressway in Dallas in 2024, causing a multi-car crash that injured several people. Knox was the driver of a rented black Corvette. Rice, Knox, and their three friends did not investigate the injured, but fled on foot before the police arrived. This incident was captured on video.

Less than two weeks later, Rice, 25, took full responsibility and apologized in a statement released before turning himself in at the Glen Heights Police Department after an arrest warrant was issued. In July, Rice was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years of probation for his role in the crash. He pleaded guilty in district court to two third-degree felony charges – collision involving serious bodily injury and running on a highway resulting in bodily injury. He received deferred adjudication. If he completes probation the case will be dismissed.

In August 2025, Knox pleaded guilty to a collision involving serious bodily injury and highway racing causing bodily injury and was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years of probation.

The NFL suspended Rice for six games last season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.

Rice also has two other civil cases pending in Dallas County: a second civil case related to the same crash that is scheduled to go to trial next year, and a lawsuit by Jones.