Woman sues Freeman over car-crash, declines romancing him

Los Angeles, February 26: The woman who was with Morgan Freeman when he crashed his car last year, has decided to sue the actor for negligence.

Demaris Meyer and her lawyer, Gloria Allred, announced in a news conference that they have filed a legal case in Mississippi against the 71-year-old star. The crash had "changed her life", she said, as she was still suffering both "physically and emotionally" and was unable to go back to work.

“I sustained numerous injuries. I was unconscious following the accident,” said Meyer. “I could not take care of myself for several months.”

Meyer thrashed the reports that held her as Freeman’s mistress, saying that she had met the actor for the first time on the night of the accident and claimed to be far from a romantic-relationship with him. Meyer and Freeman were joined by some mutual friends for dinner at a country club, a few hours before the accident occurred.

"I have been labeled as the 'other woman' and have been accused of having caused the breakup of Mr. Freeman's marriage. Nothing could be further from the truth," Meyer said.

"I had hoped and prayed that Mr. Freeman, or his representatives, would have set the record straight and cleared my name, but they have not done so and that is why I have chosen to come forward to tell the truth about our relationship," she further said.

The accident had occurred on the night of Aug. 3, 2008, when the two were traveling from Freeman's lawyer Bill Luckett’s home in Clarksdale, Miss., to Freeman's property in Charleston, Miss., which was at a distance of some 40 miles. Freeman, who was on the driver’s seat, reportedly lost control of his Nissan Maxima, which struck a ditch and rolled over.

Freeman had been a "perfect gentleman" that evening; he assured Meyer she would not only have her own bedroom at the ranch, but "her own house". She agreed to go with him so as to “have an easier drive to work the next morning".

But now the 48-year-old lady is seeking compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, permanent disability and property damage.

"We are confident this will all be resolved," said Ken Sunshine, a spokesman for Freeman. "We have no further comment on the current litigation."