This week's New Times feature story is an in-depth look at John Goodman, the multimillionaire polo mogul accused of causing the fatal car accident that killed 23-year-old Wellington native Scott Wilson.
Before Goodman was charged with vehicular homicide, DUI manslaughter, and failure to render aid, he was the amiable, fun-loving trust-fund heir from Houston who founded the International Polo Club Palm Beach.
In this 2008 video produced by the polo club, Goodman discusses his idyllic view of a sport generally reserved for the wealthy few.
"It's really made up of cowboys and people who love horses," he says. "It's very welcoming."
Speaking in a halting Texas drawl, Goodman displays his trademark humble attitude, admitting that he only practices about once a week yet gets to compete with some of the best polo players in the world because he's the owner of a high-goal team.
"I feel so fortunate to be able to play the game," he says.
Indeed, Goodman has sunk millions into the game he loves and is credited with reviving the international glamour of polo in Wellington. The question now is whether his fatal crash will force him to forfeit the life he's built here.
