Heat’s Haywood Highsmith cited with careless driving in crash, nearly severing a man’s leg

Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith was driving home Tuesday night after playing the Orlando Magic when he hit a pedestrian — partially severing his leg — who was aiding another motorist on the road in West Kendall, officials said.

Highsmith, 27, was given a traffic ticket for careless driving, a crash report read.

READ MORE: Heat’s Haywood Highsmith uninjured in car accident that critically injured another man

Pedestrian lends a helping hand

Around 11:20 p.m., Nicodemus Jean Baptiste Cantave’s Toyota Forerunner was “disabled” and stopped on Southwest 136th Street near Southwest 138th Avenue, the report read.

Unable to move it, Alekxei Pino walked over to help Cantave.

The report reveals that Highsmith, too, was approaching the disabled car on Southwest 136th Street.

He was traveling home from the Kaseya Center, his agent Jerry Dianis said.

Dianis added the Toyota did not have its lights on the road, echoing the same statement Highsmith gave officers.

As Pino was behind the stopped car, that’s when Highsmith collided with him and the Toyota, the report read.

At the moment of the collision, according to Dianis, Pino was pushing the Toyota. He also contended Highsmith was not speeding.

However, the report lists Highsmith’s estimated speed at 45 mph while the speed limit was 40 mph.

The collision pushed the Toyota 50 to 60 yards forward, the report read.

Pino was seriously hurt in the crash. Dianis said Highsmith “immediately rushed to help the person pushing the car who had been injured.”

“Haywood stayed on the scene continuously talking to the injured man, offering words of comfort until an ambulance took him to the hospital,” Dianis said.

A responding Miami-Dade police officer said Pino was suffering from a partial amputation to his right leg, a compound fracture to his left leg and a possible broken left arm.

Pino was taken to Jackson South Medical Center in critical condition by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, the report read.

Highsmith was not under the influence of drugs and alcohol, the report read, nor did he sustain injuries.

“This was an unfortunate accident,” Dianis said. “Haywood and his family are praying for him. Haywood is, of course, shaken by this and appreciates the support and prayers he has received from the Miami Heat and fans.”

Highsmith expected to return to practice

After missing Wednesday’s home victory over the San Antonio Spurs because of what the Heat listed as “personal reasons,” Highsmith is expected back with the team for Friday’s practice at Kaseya Center.

Highsmith went undrafted out of Wheeling University in 2018 and spent the 2020-21 season in the German Basketball Bundesliga before joining the Heat in the middle of the 2021-22 season.

Highsmith is set to become a free agent this upcoming summer. He’s averaging 5.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game in 37 games (24 starts) this season.

In a statement issued Wednesday before its matchup against the Spurs, the Miami Heat said: “Our hearts go out to those who were injured.”