Indianapolis Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson and another man were struck and killed on the side of an Indiana interstate highway early Sunday by a suspected drunk driver, police said.
Jackson, 26, had been traveling on Interstate 70 in an Uber about 4 a.m. when he suddenly felt “ill,” Indiana State Police said. His driver, Jeffrey Monroe, 54, pulled onto the shoulder and stopped, and both men stepped out, investigators said.
A pickup driven by Alex Cabrera Gonsales, 37, swerved onto the shoulder and plowed into both men, killing both, police said. Gonsales tried to flee the crash on foot, but didn’t get far before police captured him.
Police said they suspect Gonsales was intoxicated and was driving without a license.
The Colts shared the news of Jackson’s death on social media, saying the team would “miss him greatly.”
Several of Jackson’s current and former teammates also shared words of grief and shock on their personal Twitter pages.
Jackson, originally from Atlanta, was signed to the Colts’ practice squad in 2015 and began appearing in games in 2016. According to the IndyStar, Jackson played in all 16 games that season. He missed the 2017 season due to an injury, and had been hoping to make a comeback in 2018.