Former football player DJ Hayden was among six people killed in a car crash Saturday morning, the Houston Police Department said.
Hayden was 33 years old.
According to authorities, they received a call around 2 a.m. about a traffic accident, involving two vehicles, a Chrysler 300 and an Acura SUV. The Chrysler was deemed the vehicle at fault because it ran the red light at a high rate of speed.
Four people were declared dead at the scene, four others were taken to a local hospital, and two died after being taken to the hospital. Five men, including a man who police said appeared to be homeless and one woman, were among those killed, police said, and the exact circumstances of the accident are being investigated, including who was driving the SUV.
According to the Houston ChronicleZach McMillan, Hayden’s former Houston teammate who played for the Cougars from 2010-13, was also killed.
Hayden was selected in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders, despite suffering a life-threatening injury to his heart during the 2012 season in Houston.
Hayden played eight seasons in the league, also spending one season with the Detroit Lions and three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
He finished his career with 4.5 sacks, 4 interceptions, and 46 pass breakups.
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