Minnesota Vikings rookie Khyree Jackson and two of his Wise High School teammates were killed early Saturday in a three-vehicle crash after their car was struck by another car and veered off the road in Upper Marlboro, Maryland State Police said.
The crash happened around 3:14 a.m. on northbound Route 4 near Presidential Parkway. The three men were riding in a Dodge Charger being driven by Hazel when the Charger and another car were struck by an Infiniti Q50 that was changing lanes while driving at high speed, police said.
The Charger left Route 4 and struck multiple tree stumps before coming to rest, police said. The driver of the Infiniti, identified by police as an Upper Marlboro woman, and her two passengers were not injured. The driver of the other car also was not hurt.
State police said investigators think that alcohol may have been a contributing circumstance in the crash. No charges were filed early Saturday.
Jackson was drafted by the Vikings in the fourth round of this year’s NFL draft, after playing at Alabama and then Oregon. Lytton played collegiately at Florida State and Penn State, and Hazel played at Maryland and Charlotte. Both the Vikings and Wise issued statements of condolence Saturday.
All three men played for coach DaLawn Parrish and won multiple state championships as Parrish built a dynasty at Wise. When Parrish stepped down in January after winning six titles, Jackson, Lytton and Hazel all showed up at a surprise party for the departing coach, Parrish said Saturday.
“Outstanding young men,” Parrish said. “Hard-working, very caring. All three of them will always be a part of my life. As they told me I helped them grow, these young men helped me grow as a coach and a man. I’ll always miss them, always love them, at the very least I’m glad they were together at the end.”
All three players were two-way stars for Wise, providing highlights for both the offense and the defense. They helped contribute to a 43-game winning streak for the Prince George’s County program that stretched across multiple seasons and included three consecutive state titles.
Lytton was named All-Met Defensive Player of the Year in 2017 after spending his senior season as the backfield anchor of a dominant defense. He began his college career at Florida State before transferring to Penn State.
Jackson played wide receiver and defensive back for the Pumas, but ultimately settled into his role as a defensive star at the college level. A long, physical corner, he finished his career at Oregon as an All-Pac 12 selection.
Hazel, another standout at wide receiver and cornerback, went to Maryland. He had flipped his commitment from West Virginia, giving the hometown Terps more momentum with local recruits. He played four seasons for Maryland before transferring to Charlotte for his final year of eligibility.
