Vikings’ Khyree Jackson, 2 former high school teammates killed in car crash in Maryland

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) — Minnesota Vikings rookie cornerback Khyree Jackson and two of his former highschool teammates have been killed in an early morning automotive crash Saturday in Maryland, police and the staff mentioned.

Jackson, 24, and Isaiah Hazel died on the scene, whereas Anthony Lytton, Jr., was pronounced lifeless at a hospital after the three-car crash in Prince George’s County, in line with Maryland State Police. Lytton was 24 and Hazel was 23.

The three have been in the identical car simply after 3 a.m. when it was struck by one other car that was dashing and altering lanes, police mentioned.

The Vikings launched a press release saying the staff spoke to Jackson’s household, and is “devastated by the information.”

“I’m heartbroken by the lack of Khyree,” Vikings normal supervisor Kwesi Adofo-Mensah mentioned. “As we bought to know him all through the pre-draft course of, it was clear the targets Khyree wished to perform each professionally and personally. His story was one in all resilience. He was taking steps to turn out to be the perfect model of himself not only for him, however for many who cared about and seemed as much as him.”

Jackson was a fourth-round draft choose by the Vikings in April. He performed two years at Alabama earlier than ending his school profession with one season at Oregon.

Jackson was within the working to earn a beginning cornerback job on the staff’s coaching camp, which opens later this month in Eagan, Minnesota.

“I’m completely crushed by this information,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell mentioned. “Khyree introduced a contagious power to our facility and our staff. His confidence and interesting persona instantly drew his teammates to him.”

Hazel performed school soccer at Maryland and Charlotte, and Lytton performed at Florida State and Penn State.

The three received a state championship collectively at Maryland’s Dr. Henry A. Clever Jr. Excessive Faculty, which paid tribute to them in a social media submit.

Hazel was driving, and Jackson and Lytton have been passengers in a Dodge Charger, which veered off the highway after being hit and struck a number of tree stumps, police mentioned.

Investigators imagine the driving force of a second car touring north tried to vary lanes “at a excessive fee of velocity” when it collided with the automotive pushed by Hazel and a 3rd car.

No one was injured within the second or third autos.

Investigators say alcohol may need been a contributing issue within the crash and costs could possibly be coming.

Jackson was a first-team All-Pac-12 choice by The Related Press final season after tying for second within the convention with three interceptions. His school profession started in junior school in 2019.

“RIP Khyree… Love you,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning posted on social media. “Puzzled. I’ll miss your smile. Nice participant, higher individual.”

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