There's no denying that Sarah Jessica Parker is way more famous than her husband, fellow actor Matthew Broderick. In fact, the two have been married since 1997, which was such a long time ago, fans have probably forgotten all about the fact that SJP dated Robert Downey Jr. long before she fell for Broderick.
Anyway, something else happened in Matthew's history, even before he'd met Sarah Jessica. As it happened, a tragic event could have changed the course of his life, and in fact, it ended the lives of two others.
As New York Post recounted, the year 1987 was when Matthew Broderick narrowly missed going to prison. At the time, the young star (he was 25) was just rising up the ranks in Hollywood. He was dating Jennifer Grey, of 'Dirty Dancing,' back then, with rumors swirling about a potential engagement.
But a car accident changed everything, and the pair broke up after Matthew narrowly survived the crash and two other people lost their lives.
New York Post explained that Matthew was driving when his BMW "veered into the opposite lane." In interviews later, Matthew said he couldn't remember the day of the accident; he only recalled waking up in the hospital.
Why he drove into an oncoming Volvo remains a mystery to this day, but Broderick's misstep meant he crashed into a woman named Anna Gallagher who was driving with her mom, Margaret Doherty.
Anna, who was 30, and her mom, who was 63, both passed away instantly, said New York Post.
In his defense, Matthew had not been drinking, the publication confirmed, and his injuries were severe. He had multiple fractures and a collapsed lung, plus a concussion. Grey, however, had minor injuries, though the mental impact of the accident stuck with her.
Though Matthew clearly didn't intentionally crash his car, nor was he under the influence — which would involve a DUI charge — he was charged with "causing death by dangerous driving." A conviction on such charges would have led to five years in prison, noted New York Post.
Amo Mama reported that Broderick wound up with a lesser charge, only being mandated to pay a fee of around $175 and a bail cost of around $4,075. Broderick left a note for the victims' family, but that was the extend of his repentance, pointed out the publication.
So how did Broderick escape charges? It likely came down to the fact that he hadn't been drinking. He was also lost while driving around Northern Ireland, says Amo Mama, and had even asked a policeman (and been followed for a time by him) for directions.
For the surviving family's part, they noted that they just wanted closure, not vengeance, reported New York Post. And they apparently had a meeting to clear the air shortly after Matthew and Sarah Jessica's first child was born, back in 2003.