Former WWE boss Vince McMahon has been accused of causing a multi-car wreck on a Connecticut highway, totaling his Bentley and damaging two other cars just hours before the news of Hulk Hogan’s death emerged.
McMahon was cited for reckless driving and following too closely after the crash last Thursday on the Merritt Parkway in Westport, state police said. He was released on a $500 bond and is set to appear in Stamford Superior Court on August 26.
Photos published by TMZ showed extensive damage to the front of McMahon’s 2024 Bentley Continental GT Speed, which sells for about $300,000.
McMahon was driving northbound on the parkway when he rear-ended a BMW and crashed into a wooden guardrail. A car on the southbound lanes then struck the debris from the crash that had blown over the guardrail, police said.
There were no passengers in any of the cars, and all three drivers were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the accident. No one was injured, police said.
The crash occurred the same day that wrestling icon Hulk Hogan suddenly died. He was 71.
Hours later, McMahon paid tribute to Hogan, writing online, “The world lost a treasure today. Hulk Hogan was the greatest WWE Superstar of ALL TIME, someone who was loved and admired around the world.”
“He was a trailblazer, the first performer who transitioned from being a wrestling star into a global phenomenon,” he continued. “His grit and unbridled thirst for success were unparalleled — and made him the consummate performer. He gave everything he had to the audience whom he appreciated, respected and loved.”
“He leaves us with one of his favorite expressions, ‘Train, take your vitamins and say your prayers.’ Today, we pray for him,” McMahon wrote.
McMahon bought what was then the World Wrestling Federation in 1982 and started the modern WWE with his wife, Linda, who now serves as the US Secretary of Education.
McMahon, 79, has faced some controversy from his time at WWE. In 2022, he resigned as WWE’s CEO amid a company-led investigation into sexual misconduct allegations.
Last year, McMahon resigned as executive chairman of the board of directors for TKO Group Holdings, which is WWE’s parent company. His resignation came after a former employee, Janel Grant, filed a lawsuit against him claiming he had sexually assaulted and trafficked her.
McMahon has denied the allegations, but the lawsuit remains pending.