Former New England Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes was issued a citation charging him with speeding and driving negligently before he allegedly crashed his 2011 Mercedes-Benz Maybach sedan into the back of a sport utility vehicle on Interstate 495 northbound in Foxborough, State Police said Friday.
Spikes, 27, will be summonsed to appear in Wrentham District Court to face charges of leaving the scene of a personal injury crash, operating negligently to endanger, speeding, and failure to stay within marked lanes, State Police said in a statement.
Spikes’ luxury sedan was found abandoned on a median strip around 3:30 a.m. Sunday after a roadside assistance operator reported that the driver had reported hitting a deer.
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Meanwhile, the occupants of a 2009 Nissan Murano told authorities they had been rear-ended by an unidentified vehicle that fled the scene.
“The charges against Spikes are the result of a comprehensive investigation that determined that Spikes’ Maybach was the car that struck the Murano, and that Spikes was driving the car at the time of the crash,’’ State Police said in a statement.
State Police said investigators found no evidence of a deer strike on or around the Maybach.
Spikes’ agent, Gary Uberstine, did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Marc L. Breakstone, the attorney for the family in the Murano, on Friday applauded the State Police for issuing the citations against Spikes.
“The family is gratified that their beliefs were confirmed by the charges,’’ he said in a phone interview. “The circumstances pointed directly at the Spikes vehicle and they are gratified. The charges are consistent with what they believed following the crash.’’
Breakstone said his clients continue to receive medical attention for their injuries, but declined to be specific.
The driver of the Murano, Sheida Foroutani, of Billerica, her husband, Sam Lashgari, and their 12-year-old son all received treatment at Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro following the crash, State Police said.
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Breakstone has said the couple had checked into a Falmouth hotel for a vacation with their son, who is severely autistic, but decided to leave the hotel about 2 a.m. after having difficulty in the room.
Based on his professional experience, Breakstone said, he estimated that Spikes was driving the luxury car at nearly 90 miles an hour while his clients were traveling at 60 miles an hour. “This could have been much worse,’’ he said.
He added, “They are, frankly, astounded that anyone could operate the vehicle so recklessly, and even more perplexed that the individual would crash into them and then flee the scene.’’
Breakstone said he has not yet filed a civil lawsuit against Spikes.
Spikes was a Patriots player at the time of the crash. He had recently re-signed with the team after a year playing for the Buffalo Bills, but was released by New England on Monday.
John R. Ellement can be reached at ellement@globe .com. Follow him on Twitter @JREbosglobe.