Former NFL star D.J. Hayden and two former college teammates were among six killed in a horrific crash after a driver sped through a red light in Houston early on Saturday. According to NPR, two other people were injured.
Hayden and his former teammates from the University of Houston, Zachary McMillian and Ralph Oragwu were killed in the cash, while a fourth former player, Jeffrey Lewis survived. The crash occurred around 2 a.m. local time, with a black Chrysler sedan traveling “very fast” through a red light, colliding with a black Acura SUV.
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Five males and one female were killed in the crash, with four dying at the scene and the others perishing at the hospital. There is another survivor, a female, who is in critical condition in the hospital.
The driver of the Chrysler was one of the dead after running the light. Another man killed was a pedestrian on the sidewalk. None of the identities of the deceased have been released apart from Hayden and his teammates. Hayden was a passenger in the Acura.
Hayden is best known for his harrowing heart injury in 2012, nearly leaving him dead after a collision in football practice. He would bounce back and would become the 12th overall pick by the Oakland Raiders in the 2013 draft. The Raiders released a statement about the loss of the former player.
“D.J.’s courage, perseverance, and dedication to his teammates will be fondly remembered by everyone who knew him,” the statement reads. “The prayers of the entire Raider Nation are with D.J.’s loved ones at this time.”
The University of Houston released a similar statement, honoring the 33-year-old and his fellow teammates. “The entire University of Houston community is heartbroken over the tragic passing of former Football student-athletes D.J. Hayden, Zachary McMillian and Ralph Oragwu earlier today, and our thoughts and prayers remain with Jeffery Lewis in his recovery ahead,” the statement reads. “While their combined talents provided Houston Football some of its most unforgettable moments, their unique legacies will best be remembered for the way they loved their teammates, supported their communities and defied the odds.”
