You know controversial YouTuber David Dobrik. Once married a mate’s mum for a ‘comedy bit’; accused several times of sexual misconduct; allegedly almost killed a member of his Vlog Squad from a badly-planned stunt.

That latter incident took place in 2020 but is back in the news this week as the injured party, Jeff Wittek, is suing his former friend and collaborator over the near-death stunt. As per TMZ, Wittek wants $10 million in damages to cover the cost of lost wages and earning capacity, alongside cover for his hospital bills.

When we say ‘injured’, we mean ‘really injured’: Wittek broke his skull and face in the ill-fated stunt, requiring serious surgery. He alleged that Dobrik had been operating an excavator placed in the ocean in June 2020, and asked his mates to swing from the machine using a rope while also riding several objects at the same time.

When Wittek prepared to have a go, Dobrik allegedly stared to swing the excavator too fast, causing Wittek to slam into it and get seriously injured.

Wittek previously detailed the traumatic incident in a YouTube video, ‘Dear David’, released earlier this year. “I nearly died. I came an inch from death and an inch from going blind. I’ll have life-long brain injuries,” he insisted in the clip.

“I’m not trying to lecture people. It’s just an emotional thing. I had my face smashed in and the one thing I asked from him was to not blame me for it.”

For his part, Dobrik expressed regret one month after the release of ‘Dear David’. “That day is the worst thing that’s ever happened to me. I would f—ing do anything to take that day back,” he said on his video podcast. “I wish it was me up there. It’s the most unfortunate thing ever. And it’s s–tty — it’s an accident. That’s what it was. It’s an accident.”

Dobrik hasn’t commented on Wittek’s lawsuit yet. More to follow.

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