A Maryland woman has pleaded guilty in the crash that killed Minnesota Vikings rookie Khyree Jackson and two of his lifelong friends, leaving a community in mourning.
It was a summer night meant for laughter and reunion among old friends. Instead, it became one of unbearable loss. In the early morning hours of July 6, 2024, Minnesota Vikings rookie cornerback Khyree Jackson and two of his lifelong friends were killed in a devastating car crash in Maryland.
The 24-year-old athlete, fresh from realizing his NFL dream, was riding in a Dodge Charger driven by his former high school teammate Isaiah Hazel, with their friend Anthony Lytton Jr. in the passenger seat. All three had grown up together in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, sharing the same classrooms, football fields and aspirations. But that shared journey came to a sudden and violent end when another car, driven by Cori Imani Clingman, collided with theirs at high speed.
The crash that silenced three lives
According to state investigators, Clingman’s Infiniti Q50 was traveling at more than 100 miles per hour when she attempted to pass Hazel’s Charger on northbound Pennsylvania Avenue. Instead, her car struck the Charger, sending it spinning off the road before crashing into several tree stumps.
Jackson and Hazel were pronounced dead at the scene. Lytton, who had played college football at both Penn State and Florida State, died a short time later at a nearby hospital. Clingman and her passengers were not injured, nor was a driver in another car clipped during the impact.
For many in the community, the news was almost impossible to process. These were young men known for their drive, loyalty and perseverance. They had worked their way from small-town Maryland fields to Division I stadiums and, in Jackson’s case, to the NFL itself.
A confession in court
Four months later, in a Prince George’s County courtroom, Clingman, 25, admitted to being under the influence of alcohol that night. She pleaded guilty to three counts of negligent homicide while driving intoxicated. Prosecutors have said they will recommend a 15-year sentence, with 12 years suspended.
Her sentencing is scheduled for February 2026, when a judge will decide whether to follow that recommendation. For the families of the three men killed, that day will mark another painful chapter in their long search for closure.
The dreams they left behind
Jackson’s rise to the NFL had been anything but easy. Before making it to the Minnesota Vikings as a fourth-round draft pick in 2024, he had nearly given up on football altogether. After working in a grocery store and a Chipotle, he found his way back to the game, eventually earning a spot at Alabama and later the University of Oregon, where his skill and resilience earned him All-Pac-12 honors.
Hazel, 23, had played for both the University of Maryland and the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, while Lytton, 24, had carved out his own college football journey across two major programs. Each had faced setbacks but continued to chase the dream they first shared as teenagers at Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School.
A community grieving together
Their deaths cast a deep shadow over Upper Marlboro and beyond. The Vikings organization, stunned just as training camp was set to begin, stepped in to support Jackson’s family, covering funeral expenses and ensuring his estate received the remainder of his rookie signing bonus.
In Maryland, friends, teachers and teammates organized vigils and tributes, remembering the three as not just athletes but as sons, brothers and role models. Their story served as a powerful reminder of how quickly life can change — and how choices made in seconds can echo for years.
Lessons from loss
Court documents later revealed that Clingman had previously been cited twice for speeding, including once for driving 100 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone. Her confession in court brought some measure of accountability, but for the families of Jackson, Hazel and Lytton, no sentence could ever replace the futures that were lost.
As the community awaits her sentencing, their focus remains on preserving the memory of the three young men whose bond carried them from neighborhood fields to national headlines — and whose legacy now stands as a call for responsibility on the road.
Story credit: VIKINGS
