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Kim Delaney is being sued for allegedly rear-ending a man on a motorcycle in L.A. and then fleeing the scene in November 2022
In a Feb. 19 filing obtained by PEOPLE, Delaney, 64, alleged that she "left the scene due to fear for her safety" as a result of her "celebrity status"
Dzhamal Badalov, who filed the lawsuit against the NYPD Blue alum, also claims Delaney was "driving under the influence of alcohol" prior to the collision
Kim Delaneyis being sued over a rear-end crash that took place over three years ago.
In January 2024, Dzhamal Badalov filed a lawsuit against Delaney, 64, alleging that she rear-ended him and he "suffered injuries as a result of [her] negligence" behind the wheel during a November 2022 incident.
In a Feb. 19 filing obtained by PEOPLE, Badalov claims that Delaney "was driving under the influence of alcohol and, following the collision, intentionally caused additional injury by abandoning the scene without exchanging identifying or insurance information." He is also seeking punitive damages.
In a joint discovery brief, Delaney "admits that an accident occurred at a red light where she rear-ended" Badalov's motorcycle in the filing, but "denies any alcohol use, and has explained that she left the scene due to fear for her safety."
In the joint filing, theNYPD Bluealum claims that "several people had surrounded her and she has a previous history of personal assault in this neighborhood," in response to Badalov's claim that she "caused additional injury" by leaving the scene.
"[Delaney] is an actor who has appeared in television series and movies, and is additionally fearful of any retribution or attack based on perceived celebrity status," the filing says.
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Delaney's lawyers note in the joint filing that "there is absolutely no admissible evidence of drinking and driving in this case" as "there was no blood alcohol or breathalyzer test and no law enforcement officer administered any field sobriety tests." Instead, they claim Badalov "is attempting to piece together a character attack" against the actress.
In response to requests for Delaney to complete an Alcoholics Anonymous program or a rehab program as a result of the collision, her lawyers say that's "an invasion of privacy and a character attack."
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This lawsuit was filed 14 months beforeDelaney was arrested, alongside her husband James Morgan, in March 2025. Marina Del Rey Sheriff's Station told PEOPLE at the time that she was arrested for alleged assault with a deadly weapon, while Morgan was arrested for alleged domestic violence.
TMZreported that the couple was arrested at Delaney's L.A. home after a "heated argument that turned physical."
Kim Delaney/Instagram
Neither Delaney nor Morgan, 55, faced charges related to the arrest.
She appeared in L.A. County Superior Court two days after the arrest, but the L.A. District Attorney's Office "declined to file charges against Kim Delaney and James Morgan due to insufficient evidence," according to a spokesperson. She was released from custody shortly afterwards without a formal criminal complaint, per court arrest records.
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Earlier this month,Morgan was arrested again for allegedly obstructing the policeafter the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office responded to "at least three calls for service" regarding "a noise complaint and a verbal disturbance in a public area" outside the apartment building where Morgan and Delaney live.
A representative for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office told PEOPLE that Morgan's "refusal to cooperate with the investigation," along with the 911 calls, led to his arrest. He was booked with a misdemeanor charge, PEOPLE confirmed, and the spokesperson said he was "cited and released."
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