Back in March, Nelson Thomas was involved in a fiery car crash that nearly took his life. Since then, he’s been on the road to recovery, and it’s included many surgeries and setbacks, including his ankle’s failure to heal. As a result, he may need to have an ankle fusion or amputation.
Since the incident, he’s received an outpour of sympathy, but one key detail was omitted: Allegedly, Nelson was intoxicated when the crash happened. The Ashley reported that in late September, he was arrested for charges of driving while intoxicated that stemmed from the night of the incident. Nelson claimed he only had a few drinks, but tests after the accident determined he had a Blood Alcohol Content of 0.178, exceeding the legal limit of 0.08. In Texas, this would be a Class A misdemeanor.
Fans were upset to hear this news. Not just because driving drunk is incredibly stupid and dangerous, but because Nelson collected money through a GoFundMe to help pay for medical bills. He received support from his fellow cast members and Challenge viewers, but they were unaware of the role alcohol played in the accident when they made their donations.
Today, on Nov. 3 — Nelson’s 35th birthday — he announced on an Instagram story that he will be taking a break from social media. He stated that he’d like to discuss everything, but he can’t while the legal process is underway (which is fairly standard). However, he did acknowledge the fact that many people were upset with him, and he’s been mentally broken by the situation. During this time, he’s turned off Instagram comments.
The news of the arrest comes roughly a week after ESPN and NFL posted an interview with Minnesota Vikings wide receiver KJ Obsourn, who saved Nelson, claiming he was at the “right place at the right time.” Nelson was not a part of the interview.
Stop Being Polite 