Pat Dye denies he held man against his will after car crash

[jbcarol]

https://twitter.com/aldotcomSports/status/788131527964188672

66-year-old Notasulga man claims former Auburn University football Coach Pat Dye fell asleep while driving, crossed the center line, hit him and then held him against his will at the coach's Macon County hunting property, a recently-filed lawsuit claims.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in Macon County Circuit Court, list as defendants Dye, one of his employees, Lynn Huggins, and Texas-based ACCC Insurance Company.

The crash happened at 12:35 p.m. on Wednesday July 6 near the intersection of Gerald Robinson Drive, or Alabama 81, and Potts Drive in Macon County, according to an accident report by Notasulga police Chief Michael Knowles. Dye was driving his 2006 Toyota Tacoma, according to the crash report and the lawsuit...

Of the allegations, Dye told AL.com, "That is 100 percent a lie."

The police report says Dye was traveling southbound on Gerald Robinson Drive when he fell asleep and drove across the center line, colliding with Jimmie Lee McCoy, who was northbound in his 2004 Mazda minivan.

According to the accident report, Dye's vehicle sideswiped McCoy's vehicle and both came to a rest off of the roadway.  The accident report says neither driver was given a sobriety test and it was the officer's opinion alcohol or drugs weren't a factor.

The police arrived on the scene at 12:40 p.m. No arrests were made at the scene, and there have been no criminal charges filed in connection with the incident.

After the accident, Huggins reportedly then came to the scene. Huggins is the sales and special events managers of Dye's Quail Hollow Gardens and Crooked Oaks Hunting Preserve. The suit claims McCoy was then taken to Dye's home or property where Dye and Huggins "detained (McCoy) without his permission or acquiescence and over his objection, and (McCoy) could not reasonably or practically leave."

The suit claims McCoy suffered serious injuries which caused him great physical pain and mental anguish. The suit says he was permanently injured, and "will be caused in the future to expend large sums of money in the nature of doctor, hospital, drug and other medical expenses in and about an effort to heal and cure said injuries." The suit claims McCoy's earning capacity was caused to be greatly and permanently diminished.

Dye is accused of negligence, wanton and reckless conduct and violation of rules of the road. "The actions of (Dye) were a conscious disregard of the rights and safety of others by the operation of a motor vehicle while intoxicated and, therefore, said actions were oppressive, gross and malicious," the lawsuit (states) reads.

He also is accused of false imprisonment. "(McCoy) could not "reasonably and practically leave and was intentionally falsely imprisoned, held against his will, over his objections and request to be released and was detained without just or reasonable cause," according to the lawsuit.

McCoy is seeking compensatory and punitive damages in an amount to be determined by a jury.

Dye said he was not intoxicated. "It was the middle of the day and I had just had lunch in Auburn,'' he said.

Nothing good happens after 12.