Nick Bollea charged in August crash

Nick Bollea was arrested and charged in the August crash that critically injured his friend. (Slideshow)

CLEARWATER (Bay News 9) -- Nick Bollea was arrested Wednesday on charges stemming from the Aug. 26 crash in Clearwater that left a passenger in his car critically injured.

Bollea is the 17-year-old son of famed wrestler Hulk Hogan. Bollea was driving his Toyota Supra at a high rate of speed before the accident, according to witnesses.

An investigation into the accident has been ongoing. Last month Clearwater police referred the case to state prosecutors.

Police officials said Bollea had a blood alcohol level of .02 in his system at the time of the crash. That is below DUI level but with Bollea being a minor, it is still an issue.

Also, the Clearwater Police Department said Bollea was travelling 60 mph in a 40 mph zone.

At a press conference Wednesday after he bonded out of jail, Bollea's attorneys stressed speeding was not a factor and called the ordeal a terrible accident.

Meanwhile, the family of John Graziano, the 22-year-old passenger in the car, has been to court over his health care while some observers have claimed Bollea's celebrity has delayed any action in the case.

Other driving violations against Bollea have come to light since the accident, including speeding citations that were captured on dashcam video. Bollea, an aspiring drift car race driver, also lost a sponsor (Polaroid) since the accident occurred.

Bollea was ticketed in Osceola County in April for going 106 in a 70 mph zone and in August in Pinellas Park for going 82 in a 45 mph zone. He also received two other tickets in the last year.

Clearwater Police spokesman Wayne Shelor said Bollea's car was traveling at a high rate of speed on SR 60 during the Aug. 26 crash. The car hit a raised median on Court Street and flipped around.

The back end hit a palm tree. Bollea and Graziano both had to be removed from the car by paramedics and were airlifted to Bayfront Medical Center in St. Petersburg.

Bollea is charged with reckless driving causing serious bodily injury. That charge is a 3rd-degree felony and carries a maximum sentence of five years in state prison. Bollea was charged as an adult.

Graziano remains at Bayfront Medical Center with injuries doctors have described as a broken skull base. A graduate of Dunedin High and a Marine who served in the Iraq War, Graziano may never fully recover and will likely need medical care the rest of his life.

Nick Bollea, also known as Nick Hogan, had numerous tickets in the year before the accident.

Graziano's health status led to a court appearance by his estranged parents over his care.

A court hearing in early October resulted in Debra Graziano, gaining temporary, 60-day guardianship of her son.

Her husband Ed and his lawyer want a third party, not a family member, to become John Graziano's legal guardian. They believe Debra Graziano should not be the guardian because she's being swayed by the Bollea's money.

Ed and Debra Graziano are estranged but the two do agree that a lawsuit against the Bollea family may be in the best interest of paying for their son's longterm medical care.

Bollea appears on the VH-1 reality show "Hogan Knows Best" with his father, mother and sister.

For more on this story, check Bay News 9 on Demand, channel 342 on your digital cable. Select Nick Hogan Crash to find several past stories, including interviews with Hogan, John Graziano's girlfriend and a witness who saw the crash.

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