Patriots Release Brandon Spikes After Suspicious Car Crash
BOSTON (CBS) -- After a very suspicious incident over the weekend, the Patriots are cutting ties with Brandon Spikes.
The Patriots announced on Monday morning that they have released the linebacker from the roster.
Spikes' car, a Mercedes, was found abandoned on the median strip of I-495 early Sunday morning. A Mercedes Benz Roadside Assistance Service operator told police that the driver reported to have hit a deer on the highway.
However, in roughly the same area of highway, a driver of a Nissan Murano reported being rear-ended. Three people in that Nissan Murano were treated for minor injuries.
The attorney for the driver of the Nissan said they did not see a car come up behind them.
"There were no headlights that came upon them from the rear," Attorney Marc Breakstone said. "Suddenly they felt and heard what they thought was an explosion and both the driver and passenger seat were thrown back to the prone position."
State Police began investigating whether the two incidents were connected. Police have yet to say if Spikes was behind the wheel of the Mercedes.
"The overwhelming evidence is that the Mercedes struck them in the rear, that vehicle pulled over and the operator fled from the scene," Breakstone said.
The Patriots' official news release included no mention of the investigation. A Massachusetts State Police spokesman said Monday that the investigation is ongoing and there are no developments to announce.
The Patriots drafted Spikes in the second round of the 2010 draft. He played four seasons for New England before signing with the Buffalo Bills. Upon signing with his new team, Spikes tweeted that his time in New England could be described as "4 years a slave."
After his one year in Buffalo, Spikes re-signed with the Patriots, telling reporters just last week, "We can clearly see me and the hoodie [Bill Belichick] have kissed and made up. I'm here and I'm moving on. That's in the past; that's dead."
At a charity event in Boston Monday night, Spikes' now former teammates had little to say on the matter.
"Brandon is a great football player," Danny Amendola said. "I don't really have much comment on that. We just focus on doing our job on the field."
"I'm just worried about me," LeGarrette Blount said. "Trying to focus on making myself better."
Jimmy Garoppolo said, "I haven't even thought about it, to be honest."
