A two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Trade and Tryon streets in Uptown Charlotte on Wednesday afternoon left a gray Kia sedan disabled in the roadway and Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball’s custom 2022 GMC Hummer EV Edition 1 sitting on the side of the street missing a front wheel.
How the Crash Happened
Witnesses told local reporters the Kia was heading east on Trade Street when Ball’s Hummer, traveling west, attempted a left turn onto Tryon Street, a one-way roadway. The two vehicles collided during that turn. Aerial footage from the scene captured afterward showed both vehicles stopped and disabled, with debris around the point of impact consistent with the kind of low-speed intersection collision that still does serious damage to a nearly 9,000-pound electric truck riding on staggered wheels and low-profile tires.
BREAKING: LaMelo Ball involved in crash in Uptown Charlotte.
Photos provided to me show LaMelo getting out of the driver’s seat. But CMPD hasn’t said who was driving and how this crash happened. Another car was involved. Medic says one person has minor injuries. We don’t know… pic.twitter.com/oTLSqTwE9B
— Joe Bruno (@JoeBrunoWSOC9) February 18, 2026
What’s Confirmed and What Isn’t
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police have not said who was behind the wheel of either vehicle at the time of the crash. Witnesses reported seeing Ball get out of the driver’s side of the Hummer, but that alone doesn’t confirm he was driving when the collision occurred, and police haven’t released a determination. After exiting the Hummer, Ball got into a Lamborghini and left the scene; onlookers said he appeared unharmed.
MEDIC confirmed one person involved in the crash suffered non-life-threatening injuries, though officials haven’t specified which vehicle that person was in. Both cars were eventually towed as crews worked to reopen the intersection.
Why a Missing Wheel Matters
A wheel separating from a vehicle during a crash typically points to a hard enough side impact to shear the wheel studs or bend the knuckle and control arm mounting points, rather than something that happens in a typical fender-bender. On a Hummer EV, that kind of damage usually means the front subframe and battery enclosure need a full inspection before the truck can be considered safe to drive again, since GM designs the battery pack to survive moderate impacts but still requires post-collision certification.
The investigation remains open, and no citations or charges have been publicly announced as of this writing.
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