The bad fortune that befell former NFL linebacker Thomas Howard within the past week has come to a tragic conclusion. Howard, 30, was just released from the Atlanta Falcons on November 12 to make room for the return of Sean Weatherspoon and on the night of November 18, he tragically lost his life in a fatal car crash.
Reports: USA Today
The Alameda County Coroner’s Bureau and spokesperson Dan Hill of the California Highway Patrol, confirmed to USA TODAY Sports that Howard was one of the victims after notification was made to the family.
Howard, 30, who was drafted out of Texas-El Paso by the Oakland Raiders in 2006, played five years for the Raiders.
Hill said the incident began with a BMW traveling 100-110 miles per hour, according to witnesses.
The witnesses said the driver of the BMW lost control and collided with the rear of a semi-truck, Hill said. The force of the impact caused the BMW to catapult into the opposing lanes, where it struck a Chevrolet Monte Carlo and then crashed onto a Honda CRV, Hill said.
Both Howard and the driver of the Honda, Zeng Long Liu, 64, of Hayward, Calif., were killed at the scene, Hill said.
Witherspoon told the Atlanta Falcons press room caught him totally off-guard. “When he was here, we got pretty close because we had the same agent and my heart goes out to his family. It’s not about football. We lost a good guy who lights up the room.”
After viewing the scenes from the wreckage, it should come as no surprise that there were no survivors. Albeit they may be disturbing to some readers, the pictures are located in the gallery ahead.
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Photo: KTVU, NFL
