Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Former NFL QB Jay Cutler now finds himself as the defendant in a lawsuit over the crash he caused prior to his DUI arrest in 2024. The driver of the vehicle that Cutler hit now claims that the crash caused him “physical and mental suffering.”
Cutler, 42, was arrested and charged last October with driving under the influence, failure to exercise due care, violation of implied consent law, and possession of a handgun while under the influence. Last week, he pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and ordered to serve four days in the Williamson County Jail, forfeit a gun, lose his Tennessee driver’s license, pay a $350 fine, be on unsupervised probation for one year, and attend a DUI safety class.
According to the lawsuit, obtained by Us Weekly, “Cutler failed to use reasonable and due care in the operation of the vehicle he was driving so as to avoid injury to other persons using the roadway, including [Lee].”
The lawsuit added that Perry Lee, the driver of the vehicle an intoxicated Jay Cutler hit with his white Dodge Ram truck, suffered injuries from the crash which “cause him daily pain and have eroded his quality of life.” Those injuries have resulted in medical bills and other expenses, as well as physical and mental suffering and the loss of enjoyment of life.
“We are seeking justice for him so he can get the care he needs and try to move forward with his life,” the lawsuit reads. It also asks seeks unspecified damages. Jay Cutler earned over $122 million during his 12-year NFL career.
Jay Cutler to serve time in jail
According to the arrest affidavit, Lee claimed Jay Cutler offered him $2,000 after the accident to not involve the police. Officers described Cutler as being visibly intoxicated when they arrived on the scene, but the former Broncos, Bears and Dolphins quarterback refused to take a field sobriety test. Instead, he was taken to a local hospital where police obtained a blood sample.
Police also found a rifle and a loaded Glock pistol inside Cutler’s Dodge Ram truck during his arrest. He was eventually released from jail on a $5,000 bond.
Cutler has not publicly commented on the case since his sentencing. He is scheduled to begin serving his time in the Williamson County Jail on Sept. 29.