Celebrity Justice
Brandy Crash -- Dead Woman at Fault?

TMZ has learned the hang-up in deciding whether to file vehicular manslaughter charges against Brandy is that Brandy may have been a victim, not a culprit.

A CHP source tells TMZ the woman who died in the car accident involving Brandy actually struck the vehicle in front of her before Brandy made any contact. The law enforcement source says Awatef Aboudihaj, the woman who died, struck the car in front of her -- which was going 65 mph, and then slammed on her brakes. We're told the sudden stop caused Brandy to hit the dead woman's car.

What's more, L.A. County Coroner spokesperson Captain Ed Winter tells TMZ that toxicology reports show Aboudihaj had "slight traces" of marijuana in her system at the time of the crash.

The L.A. City Attorney has until the end of the business day on Friday to decide whether to file criminal charges against Brandy -- that's when the one-year statute of limitations runs out. Sources tell TMZ there is significant division in the City Attorney's office, and a decision still has not been made. The problem for the City Attorney: if they file manslaughter charges, they have to prove Brandy did something negligent -- and we're told that could be difficult if not impossible.

Stay tuned...


Tags: Brandy, Brandy car accident, Brandy car crash, Brandy sued, BrandyCarAccident, BrandyCarCrash, BrandySued

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(Page 11 of 12) Previous 15 Comments | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

151. When you know the facts to the case, then speak!!!!!!!

Posted at 11:20PM on Dec 26th 2007 by Joy616

152. >"slight traces" of marijuana in her system at the time of the crash.

Marijuana stays in your system for up to 30 days so take that slight traces comment for what it is worth.


"You know Judge, the rape victim did have sex with two different men in the month prior to her assault."

Both have the same relevance to their respective cases.

Posted at 11:34PM on Dec 28th 2007 by rob enderle

153. For all the idiots claiming that anyone saying Brandy was negligent is a racist, I'm not a racist. I defended Will Smith against the idiots including the TMZ writers who either twisted his words or were too stupid to understand what he said. The fact is that people who do negligent things that result in harm to other people should take responsibility. The personal attacks on me are pretty hilarious. I have a perfect driving record.

Posted at 11:55PM on Dec 26th 2007 by Petunia

154. Levin and TMZ knew this information all along yet decided to keep it from the public in order to tarnish Brandy's reputation. A couple weeks ago they had an article attacking her, almost attempting to paint her as a cold-blooded murderer. TMZ and tabloids like them absolutely despise artists and people of good will. Why you ask? Because tabloids are hell-bent on destroying lives and reputations, while artists and people of goodwill are busy creating. It's almost a battle of good and evil. If you think this sounds crazy, well then you need to take a fresh look at what this site is really doing. When is the last time you've seen a positive, honest and uplifting article here at TMZ? It's all about ruining lives to these tabloids.

Posted at 12:24AM on Dec 28th 2007 by Levin and TMZ Knew This All Along and Lied About It

155. 141. Ooh dang there a lot of racists people up here. What if this were that white devil Carrie Underwear, bet you all be singing a different tune. Brandy did nothing wrong, people accidentally kill people all the time. It was that lady's fault by not moving out of Brandy's way any way. I'm sick of all you haterz! Big shout out to my girl Brandy. That girls gonna be a legend like Will Smith, unlike that American Idol hasbeen Carrie Underwood.

Posted at 10:17PM on Dec 26th 2007 by Bernice

Your post did not reinforce your point, the only point it made was that you are just as much of a racist as the ones you are bashing. It is highly debatable who is the bigger of the two has beens - Brandy or Carrie. However, there celebrity status has no bearing on the accident. The Facts are the Facts.

Posted at 2:30AM on Dec 27th 2007 by Wow

156. Traces of pot in her system? I'm no expert, but can't you have traces of it in your system for MONTHS? The big question should be if she re3cently used it and was under the influence- which I bet is doubtful. I don't know jack about this accident obviously, but it sounds suspicious to have this come out right now, just before statue of limitation kicked in. Guilty or innocent, looks like Brandy will walk. Just like everything else in L.A., things aren't always as they seem when it comes to stars.

Posted at 2:44AM on Dec 27th 2007 by Star walk

157. TMZ just decided to let everyone know the truth a year later. WTF!..Usually u guys are on point,but this time bad reporting...TMZ has ripped Brandy for a year now you guys are digging for the truth. Better late then never! WTF....Leave this women alone! Shoot the fights the some parking lot, then give that tape to the POLICE then see what they dooooooooooooo.....Guys Ms Norwood is clean PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 11:39PM on Dec 27th 2007 by BP for BeezoworksInc

158. a rear end accident isnt always the fault of the person behind, no matter what the law says. When you take into consideration that the car in front came to a much quicker stop when hitting the other vehicle than if they would have just slammed on there brakes. You could be traveling at a safe distance behind a person but if the car in front of you come to almost a dead stop instantly your only going to have so much room to stop

Posted at 10:46AM on Dec 27th 2007 by me

159. How do you know that the first accident isn't what killed the women? Do we know for a fact that it was Brandy hitting her from behind that caused the death?

Posted at 12:43PM on Dec 27th 2007 by unbelievable

160. Comment #1 is correct.

You must allow enough distance between cars especially traveling at high speed.

Bottom line, Brandy hit this woman.

Bottom line, the dead woman didn't do anything crazy or illegal. She didn't spin out or careen all over the freeway. She braked and hit the car in front of her. Brandy should have been traveling either far enough behind, or at slower speed if following so closely.

A trace of marijuana in the dead woman's system is irrelevant and inflammatory info which clearly has been opportunistically released by someone opposed to Brandy being charged. A trace of marijuana found on the woman wouldn't even get her arrested and would not impair her judgment - look at the COCAINE found on Lindsay Lohan when she did careen out of control and crash into a tree - and the DA said it was irrelevant and not enough to file charges.

Moreover, marijuana would only be relevant had it been found on Brandy as she was the one who did the crashing.

Brandy will get off because the DA and the City Attorney in L.A. do not prosecute celebrities.

Posted at 4:44PM on Dec 27th 2007 by Legal Mind - Tired of Celebrity Justice

161. "Aww, look. Another Black in LA getting off on a murder charge. Surprising, isn't it?"


that is just racist

Posted at 4:53PM on Dec 27th 2007 by Bj

162. Bottom line, the dead woman didn't do anything crazy or illegal. She didn't spin out or careen all over the freeway. She braked and hit the car in front of her. Brandy should have been traveling either far enough behind, or at slower speed if following so closely.

Posted at 4:44PM on Dec 27th 2007 by Legal Mind - Tired of Celebrity Justice


As you said BRANDY also didn't do anything crazy or illegal,She didn't spin out or careen all over the freeway. She braked and hit the car in front of her. Why do you feel it was OK for the dead woman to hit the car in front of her but somehow unfair celebrity justice for Brandy to do the exact same thing.

Posted at 7:05PM on Dec 27th 2007 by Giz

163. Petunia...your though process seems to be clogged because Brandy is a celebrity. There is a black box on the kind of car Brandy was driving and the woman's. I am sure they have read the entire tail of what happened. If Brandy were guilty she would have been arrested by now. Secondly, in what planet do you live on...scam arrests (not saying this woman was) do the slam on the brakes thing all the time claiming that the person that hit them from behind was wrong so that they can collect money. That law never existed and any one thought to provoke an accident for financial gain can be arrested and charged with a felony.

Give it arrest the woman hit someone in the rear (pay attention now) and then Brandy hit the woman and driving at 65 mph there is not enough time despite being car lengths behind...to stop a vehicle. Let's all putting on our thinking caps and put our jealousy hat on the nightstand.

Posted at 9:21PM on Dec 27th 2007 by thelawissimple

164. I HAVE driven on interstates when the cars ahead of me came to a complete stop. I didn't run into them. You idiots who keep saying imagine this, imagine that, are just idiots. I don't have to imagine anything. I've been in the situation.

Posted at 12:17AM on Dec 28th 2007 by Petunia

165. brandy is hott! i cant wait for her cd!! if she did anything wrong ol gurl would have been in jail last year! That other hoe probably did kill herself with drugs in her system...damn shame `Anywho, i cant wait for brans cd to come out, they gettin on my damn nerves! leave her alone so she can go 3x platinum! :P

Posted at 4:26PM on Dec 30th 2007 by brian B.

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