14 DAY TRIAL // Paparazzi are often said to be responsible for minor fender-benders and rear-ends with celebrities’ vehicles, though they always claim to have kept a safe distance from the vehicle they were chasing. The same happened the other day, when Nicole Richie’s car was rear-ended by a pap vehicle, as People magazine informs. The star asked for medical assistance afterwards, but is said to be in good condition, as not much damage was done.
The accident occurred as the paparazzi were following the car Nicole was in, in order to take her picture once she arrived at the destination. Richie was driving, and neither of her two children was with her when the crash occurred, reports in the media indicate. However, although the crash was not bad and the damage done to Richie’s car was minor, she asked to be seen by a doctor immediately afterwards, just to make sure she had not suffered any injury, a police spokesperson tells People.
“Ms. Richie was driving with a passenger around 2 p.m. when she was struck by two photographers driving in one vehicle behind her. She complained of pain... Her car sustained moderate damage. No paramedics were called to the scene. She told officers she was going to seek her own medical treatment, so it’s unknown if she’s headed to a hospital or not.” Lt. Tony Lee of the Beverly Hills Police tells the aforementioned magazine.
The driver at the wheel of the pap car has been detained for driving without a license, a misdemeanor, and is currently being held in custody pending bail. Charges will presumably also be brought against him for causing the crash, although that is still to be determined by the ongoing police investigation. Nicole Richie was accompanied by an unnamed male, whose condition is not yet known.
“The driver who rear-ended Richie is being arrested and booked for being unlicensed because ‘officers could not verify his identification,’ Lt. Lee added. ‘He’s being physically brought into the station. This will likely be a misdemeanor traffic violation, and the photographer’s vehicle will be towed.’” People magazine further explains.