TAMPA — The family of John Graziano has lashed out against the Bollea family — better known as the Hogans.
Graziano was a passenger in Nick Bollea’s car last August when the reality TV star crashed his Toyota Supra. Witnesses claim Bollea was racing another driver at the time of the crash and he faces a felony charge of reckless driving with serious bodily injury. Graziano remains in critical condition at the James A. Haley VA Medical Center.
On Valentine’s Day, Bollea went to visit Graziano, along with his mother, Linda, and sister, Brooke, but the victim’s family claims it was for all the wrong reasons.
“We believe that it was a total (public relations) stunt,” the family’s attorney, Kimberley Kohn, tells the St. Petersburg Times.
The Graziano family’s attorneys contend that in addition to gifts, the Bollea’s also brought along photographers, who went about delivering images of the family’s visit to celebrity news Web sites.
Terry Bollea, better known as Hulk Hogan, was not part of the Valentine’s trip, however he is said to visit Graziano about every five weeks.
Nick Bollea’s Tampa-based attorney, Morris “Sandy” Weinberg Jr., calls the Graziano claim “nonsense.”
“The Bollea family has been visiting John for the last seven or eight months, and there’s been no PR about it whatsoever,” he tells the paper. “It’s a bunch of nonsense to suggest their visits to John are a PR stunt. That’s crazy.”
Graziano has yet to regain consciousness following the crash, however he is said to be making progress.
“We all have hope and prayers that he will regain consciousness,” Kohn said. “We’re talking about years of rehab before we know where John is going to be.”
On Monday, Graziano’s attorneys filed a lawsuit against Terry Bollea, claiming that he and his estranged wife are liable for the accident as parents of Nick, who was 17 at the time of the crash. They are reportedly seeking millions of dollars.
