As Billy Joel recovered from his weekend car crash, one question still remained unanswered: Why was ex-wife Christie Brinkley seen taking photos of his car?

The onetime supermodel, 48, raised eyebrows when she was spotted snapping photographs of her ex-husband's damaged blue Mercedes, after he sideswiped a tree while driving it in the Hamptons community of Sag Harbor.

Now, Long Island newspaper Newsday has gotten to the bottom of the mystery, reporting that Brinkley fears for the well-being of her daughter with Joel, Alexa Ray, and is documenting her ex-husband's "pattern" of car accidents in a maternal attempt to protect the teen girl.

"The seat Alexa was sitting in only hours before this latest crash was completely destroyed," Brinkley said in a statement issued by her publicist.

Brinkley and Joel, 53, were married for nine years and maintain an amicable relationship, friends tells Newsday. Alexa is in the custody of her mother, who is now married to architect Peter Cook.

"I'm worried about Billy, but like any mother would be," Brinkley's statement went on to say. "I am alarmed and concerned about my child's safety by this frightening pattern of accidents."

Newsday could not immediately reach Joel for a comment on his ex-wife's actions.

At the time of Saturday night's accident, Joel, who reportedly sustained minor facial cuts, had to be taken by helicopter to the hospital, the New York Daily News reported. No charges were filed against the musician, police Officer Hugh Caulfield told the Associated Press. Joel wasn't given a Breathalyzer test, the officer added.

Last summer, Joel voluntarily checked into the Silver Hill substance abuse and psychiatric center at New Canaan, Conn., reportedly after becoming "very depressed" when a respiratory infection forced him to cut short a tour with Elton John.

Joel told PEOPLE in July that he had begun "what I ultimately realized was a prolonged period of overindulgence. I don't want to get any more specific."