John Graziano was critically injured in a car crash involving Nick Hogan, the son of professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, in 2007. Graziano, a former U.S. Marine, was a passenger in Hogan’s car and suffered severe brain injuries as a result of the accident.
On the evening of August 26, 2007, John Graziano was riding in a Toyota Supra driven by Nick Hogan, whose real name is Nick Bollea, in Clearwater, Florida. The car spun out of control and crashed into a palm tree. The accident was attributed to speeding and Nick Hogan’s driving recklessness. Graziano, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was left with a permanent brain injury that requires full-time medical care.
Nick Hogan was charged with reckless driving involving serious bodily injury and was sentenced to eight months in Pinellas County Jail, five years of probation, 500 hours of community service, and his driving privileges were revoked for three years. The Graziano family filed a lawsuit against the Hogans, which was later settled out of court.
The crash had a profound impact on Graziano’s life, leaving him in need of 24-hour-a-day care. His injuries included a broken skull, and despite surgeries and rehabilitation, he remains in a minimally conscious state. The incident raised awareness about the consequences of reckless driving and the importance of wearing seatbelts.