
John Goodman (right) is doused with champagne by player Memo Gracida after winning the U.S. Open in 2004 (Click on the photo for shots of the crash)
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s report about the deadly car crash that took the life of a 23-year-old man in Wellington this morning says alcohol was likely involved. See the PBSO report here. (pdf)
The incident is sure to rock the polo community.
The accident, which shut down parts of Lake Worth Road for eight hours, involved Texas multi-millionaire John Goodman, the founder and owner of Wellington’s International Polo Club Palm Beach.
He suffered minor injuries.
But at the wheel of his $250,000 black Bentley Continental convertible shortly after 1 a.m., Goodman, 46, reportedly blew through a stop sign at the corner of Lake Worth Road and 120th Avenue, a block south of the club he founded.
He crashed into a westbound Hyundai — sending the crumpled Sonata into a canal across the street and its driver, Scott Patrick Wilson of Orlando, to his death. The shock was so violent that the Hyundai is believe to have gone airborne before landing on its roof and sinking in the canal.
Wilson recently graduated from the University of Central Florida with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.
Palm Beach Sheriff’s deputies tested Goodman for DUI, but the results are not available. No charges have been filed.
Several polo sources said Goodman spent the early part of Thursday night at the White Horse Tavern, a club on the grounds of Wellington’s equestrian stadium. The tavern featured a charity function dubbed Polo Bartending Challenge. He wasn’t spotted drinking heavily and ate a full dinner. He later visited the Players Club, another restaurant and bar in Wellington favored by the polo crowd.
The accident occurred about 10 minutes after he left the Players Club.

Goodman's Bentley was taken away Friday morning (Clickon the photo for more accident photos)
“We are checking if alcohol was a factor,” said PBSO spokeswoman Teri Barbera. “The driver (of the Bentley) is still at the hospital.”
Barbera said Goodman was taken to Wellington Regional Medical Center, where deputies got a blood sample. It could be weeks before the results are known. But Barbera added that road conditions and speed are also being looked at.
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