Garrett Hedlund Faces Lawsuit For Allegedly Causing Head-On Car Crash While Drunk

Garrett Hedlund is facing a personal injury lawsuit from a woman and her daughter over a head-on car crash two years ago.

Marina Venegas and her daughter Jennifer Castillo are suing Hedlund, 37, for negligence, alleging that he caused a head-on collision in Los Angeles on Jan. 24, 2020, that left them with severe injuries, E! News reported, citing court documents filed Friday.

The two women alleged in their lawsuit that the actor "passed out behind the wheel of his vehicle and ran a solid red-light at a high rate of speed." His car then allegedly collided with a Nissan Sentra containing Venegas, Castillo and two minor children.

All four passengers of the Nissan Sentra suffered "severe and permanent injuries," the lawsuit said. They were taken to the emergency room, according to the court documents.

Hedlund had not yet publicly commented on the lawsuit, the outlet noted.

Venegas and Castillo alleged that Hedlund "knew he was drinking to the point of severe intoxication before getting behind the wheel of his Jeep, a large and heavy Sport Utility Vehicle."

The "Four Brothers" star was allegedly "well past the legal limit of .08% blood alcohol concentration," according to the documents. The two women argued that he could have taken a taxi or called a ride-share but "refused to do so."

"He also knew that it was illegal to drive while intoxicated. He also knew that if he were to drive his SUV while under the influence of alcohol, it was probable that he would lose control of the SUV and cause a collision with another motorist or pedestrian," the lawsuit continued. "Despite this actual knowledge, Hedlund purposely drank excessively with the specific intention of getting drunk."

The document stated that Hedlund allegedly chose to drive down a busy street on a busy Friday night during the time when roads were still crowded and traffic was moderate despite "knowing he was unfit to drive."

Hedlund allegedly ran a solid red light that had been red for several seconds at approximately 50 miles per hour, causing a "horrible head-on crash," the lawsuit said.

Hedlund was arrested and charged with driving under the influence following the incident, according to the lawsuit.

However, Venegas and Castillo alleged that the actor attempted to flee the scene and only failed because "he was so intoxicated he could not get away."

The mother and daughter are seeking punitive damages in their lawsuit.

Hedlund was released on bail after being arrested on Jan. 24, 2020, People reported. He was arraigned in February that year, where a judge ordered that he seek counseling, according to court records obtained by E! News. He pleaded no contest to one count of DUI and was found guilty, while a second DUI charge was dismissed.

The lawsuit came shortly after Hedlund's split from Emma Roberts made headlines. People confirmed that they broke up a few weeks ago after several rocky months in their relationship. The exes share 1-year-old son Rhodes Robert Hedlund.