Woman Hit By Cushion Thrown By Clippers' Rivers Says His Apology Was Insincere
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - The woman hit in the face by L.A. Clippers' guard Austin Rivers this week wants the player to take responsibility for allegedly hurling the cushion in the stands.
The incident happened during Wednesday night's game; and since then, the NBA has fined Rivers $25,000 and he's apologized. But the woman he hit says that's not enough. It was the 4th quarter timeout of the Kings and Clippers season-opening game with about seven minutes left.
If you look closely, you see Rivers picking up a cushion, and although in interviews with reporters he denies throwing it, that cushion goes flying into the stands and hits Lindsey Read.
"All of a sudden smack…I was hit in the eye," said Lindsey.
"I'm sitting next to my daughter and all of a sudden she's crying and tears are flowing down her face," said Aaron Read, Lindsey's father.
Lindsey and her family are longtime season ticket holders and loyal fans of the Sacramento Kings. She says she was chatting with her girlfriend when all of a sudden she gets hit.
"I was wearing contact lenses at the time. It hit so forcefully that it knocked my contact lens out. My eye was profusely watering. I couldn't even open it right after the incident," she said.
Lindsey didn't even know what hit her. Her friends told her happened.
In a statement the following night at a game at the Staples Center, Rivers told reporters "people need to stop saying I threw something, because I didn't throw anything at anybody. I hit a pillow and it ricocheted backwards."
Rivers even met Lindsey outside the locker room that night to apologize, but she says it was not sincere
"I want Austin Rivers to take responsibility," said Lindsey. "He picked up that item and he threw it, and it's not good behavior by a professional athlete."
Lindsey says she's still in pain and has some whiplash. She has since gone to see an eye doctor, but has no plans to take further action at this time.
Since the incident, Lindsey has not been contacted by the NBA or the Clippers. They did invite her to a game in L.A.
