The San Francisco 49ers’ Delanie Walker lost his aunt and uncle to a fiery car crash that took place just hours after the tight end’s team lost in the Super Bowl .
The crash happened at about 5:30 am on Monday, killing Alice and Bryan Young Sr. of Victorville, California, police said.
Delanie Walker wrote about the fatal crash on Twitter with a subject line that read “Horrible.” Walker posted that his aunt an uncle were killed “by a drunk,” ESPN noted.
After the tragedy, the San Francisco 49ers released a statement extending sympathies to Delanie Walker and the Young family.
“We extend our deepest sympathies and prayers to Delanie and his family as they grieve this tragedy,” said 49ers general manager Trent Baalke. “Our organization is here to support Delanie through this tough time, as we do with all of our players and staff. At this time, we will respect their family’s privacy and ask others to do so as well.”
Police said a 2002 Mercedes driven by 26-year-old Nechole T. Thomas of Houston slammed into the Youngs’ 2012 Nissan Altima at a high speed as they sat on shoulder of Interstate 10 in LaPlace, just west of New Orleans. Both cars burst into flames.
Thomas was able to escape her car with only minor injuries She was jailed on on charges of reckless driving, drunken driving, and two counts of vehicular homicide — a death involving a drunken driver.
It took police until Wednesday afternoon to positively identify the bodies as Delanie Walker’s aunt and uncle, The Associated Press reported.