December 18, 2025
Ellen DeGeneres found herself back in the headlines as her lawsuit over a 2023 car crash in California took a new turn.
The 67-year-old TV star is accused of reckless driving after allegedly failing to pull break at a stop sign in Santa Barbara County on October 16, 2023.
The woman, who is involved, claimed that DeGeneres’ car “t-boned” her Tesla, causing serious injuries, emotional distress and financial losses. However, she now has requested a jury trial in the case.
Court documents revealed that the accuser fully stopped at the crossing when DeGeneres allegedly entered suddenly without warning.
The lawsuit revealed that the crash resulted in a loss of enjoyment of life and remarkable anxiety for the victim.
The case was first filed in September while The Ellen DeGeneres Show host was enjoying vacations in Florence, Italy, with her wife, Portia de Rossi.
Because the couple now lives in the English countryside, DeGeneres has not yet been formally served.
The woman now plans to use the Hague Convention Service to deliver the complaint.
A non-jury trial is currently scheduled for November 2026.
Recently, DeGeneres and de Rossi sold their $30 million farmhouse and moved into a larger home for de Rossi’s horses.
Moreover, the couple kept a low profile since the end of DeGeneres’ daytime talk show in 2022, which faced controversy amid a workplace scandal.