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Goodrich turns himself in after fatal hit-and-run
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Associated Press
DALLAS -- Cowboys reserve defensive back Dwayne Goodrich surrendered to police Tuesday night on felony charges in a hit-and-run accident that killed two people and injured two others.
Police said Goodrich was the lone occupant of a car that allegedly slammed into a wreck site at an estimated 110 mph earlier Tuesday on a North Dallas freeway. Two motorists who were trying to rescue a man from a burning car were struck and killed.
Goodrich faced two manslaughter charges and was booked into Lew Sterrett Justice Center, where he was held in lieu of $50,000 in bonds, Sgt. Hollis Edwards told reporters at Dallas police headquarters.
A magistrate had earlier set bonds of $25,000 each for the second-degree felony warrants.
Goodrich had first talked with police Tuesday afternoon, his agent said. Edwards said Goodrich returned to surrender at 10:45 p.m.
"He turned himself in today and told them what happened. He's devastated. It was a tragic accident," Goodrich's agent, Stephen Zucker, told The Associated Press late Tuesday.
Dallas County Sheriff's Department spokesman Don Peritz said Goodrich was to be arraigned in a process that could take several hours.
Police said a car clipped a tractor-trailer rig and caught fire about 2:15 a.m. Tuesday on Interstate 35 in North Dallas.
As a rescue attempt began for those in the burning car, a luxury car came speeding through the scene at a high rate of speed. Officers said the driver tried to swerve between the disabled vehicles but hit several people, two of whom were killed.
Senior Cpl. Diana Watts, a Dallas police spokeswoman, said the driver of the flaming car escaped without major injuries. A passenger from the burning car was trying to help the driver out, as were two other motorists that came from across the highway.
"While they were doing that, a gray BMW struck all three of them," Watts said.
She said the driver tried to weave around the disabled vehicles but could not avoid hitting the rescuers.
The dead were identified as Joseph Wood, 21, and Demont Matthews, 23, who were struck by the BMW after they pulled off the freeway to assist the burning car.
Zucker said he last talked to the 24-year-old defensive back by telephone Tuesday night. Zucker declined to discuss the accident.
"I don't want to get into that. It'll all come out later," Zucker said.
Goodrich was the Cowboys' top pick in the 2000 draft, taken 49th overall out of Tennessee in the second round. But he hasn't been a significant contributor for the Cowboys through his first three seasons.
After straining his left hamstring during the 2000 preseason, Goodrich didn't make his NFL debut until playing special teams in the ninth game of the season. He played in five games as a rookie, seeing his only action on defense in the season finale.
Goodrich missed the entire 2001 season after tearing his right Achilles' tendon during training camp.
Last season, Goodrich played in 11 games, including his only NFL start Dec. 21 against Philadelphia. He just completed the final year of his contract.
At Tennessee, Goodrich was the defensive MVP of the 1999 Fiesta Bowl after returning an interception 54 yards for a touchdown in the Volunteers' 23-16 victory over Florida State that won the national championship.
Goodrich was arrested in September 1999, during his senior year at Tennessee, on a charge of disorderly conduct. Those charges were later dropped, but Goodrich conceded that he was "drinking too much."
"We were informed on Tuesday of this tragic situation. It is a police matter, and we will continue to monitor the developments," said Calvin Hill, coordinator of the Player Assistance department for the Cowboys. "We are deeply saddened for the families who have experienced the loss of life."
Mark Reiland, 44, of The Colony was among the witnesses to the crash.
"The driver door was open, and three or four people were trying to get the guy out of the burning car," Reiland told The Dallas Morning News in Wednesday's editions. "The hit-and-run driver literally fit through there like an hourglass or something and pushed the car out of the way as it went."
The other rescuer suffered a broken leg.
Police said there were no skid marks to indicate the BMW's speed or that it tried to stop.
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Associated Press
DALLAS -- Cowboys reserve defensive back Dwayne Goodrich surrendered to police Tuesday night on felony charges in a hit-and-run accident that killed two people and injured two others.
Police said Goodrich was the lone occupant of a car that allegedly slammed into a wreck site at an estimated 110 mph earlier Tuesday on a North Dallas freeway. Two motorists who were trying to rescue a man from a burning car were struck and killed.
Goodrich faced two manslaughter charges and was booked into Lew Sterrett Justice Center, where he was held in lieu of $50,000 in bonds, Sgt. Hollis Edwards told reporters at Dallas police headquarters.
A magistrate had earlier set bonds of $25,000 each for the second-degree felony warrants.
Goodrich had first talked with police Tuesday afternoon, his agent said. Edwards said Goodrich returned to surrender at 10:45 p.m.
"He turned himself in today and told them what happened. He's devastated. It was a tragic accident," Goodrich's agent, Stephen Zucker, told The Associated Press late Tuesday.
Dallas County Sheriff's Department spokesman Don Peritz said Goodrich was to be arraigned in a process that could take several hours.
Police said a car clipped a tractor-trailer rig and caught fire about 2:15 a.m. Tuesday on Interstate 35 in North Dallas.
As a rescue attempt began for those in the burning car, a luxury car came speeding through the scene at a high rate of speed. Officers said the driver tried to swerve between the disabled vehicles but hit several people, two of whom were killed.
Senior Cpl. Diana Watts, a Dallas police spokeswoman, said the driver of the flaming car escaped without major injuries. A passenger from the burning car was trying to help the driver out, as were two other motorists that came from across the highway.
"While they were doing that, a gray BMW struck all three of them," Watts said.
She said the driver tried to weave around the disabled vehicles but could not avoid hitting the rescuers.
The dead were identified as Joseph Wood, 21, and Demont Matthews, 23, who were struck by the BMW after they pulled off the freeway to assist the burning car.
Zucker said he last talked to the 24-year-old defensive back by telephone Tuesday night. Zucker declined to discuss the accident.
"I don't want to get into that. It'll all come out later," Zucker said.
Goodrich was the Cowboys' top pick in the 2000 draft, taken 49th overall out of Tennessee in the second round. But he hasn't been a significant contributor for the Cowboys through his first three seasons.
After straining his left hamstring during the 2000 preseason, Goodrich didn't make his NFL debut until playing special teams in the ninth game of the season. He played in five games as a rookie, seeing his only action on defense in the season finale.
Goodrich missed the entire 2001 season after tearing his right Achilles' tendon during training camp.
Last season, Goodrich played in 11 games, including his only NFL start Dec. 21 against Philadelphia. He just completed the final year of his contract.
At Tennessee, Goodrich was the defensive MVP of the 1999 Fiesta Bowl after returning an interception 54 yards for a touchdown in the Volunteers' 23-16 victory over Florida State that won the national championship.
Goodrich was arrested in September 1999, during his senior year at Tennessee, on a charge of disorderly conduct. Those charges were later dropped, but Goodrich conceded that he was "drinking too much."
"We were informed on Tuesday of this tragic situation. It is a police matter, and we will continue to monitor the developments," said Calvin Hill, coordinator of the Player Assistance department for the Cowboys. "We are deeply saddened for the families who have experienced the loss of life."
Mark Reiland, 44, of The Colony was among the witnesses to the crash.
"The driver door was open, and three or four people were trying to get the guy out of the burning car," Reiland told The Dallas Morning News in Wednesday's editions. "The hit-and-run driver literally fit through there like an hourglass or something and pushed the car out of the way as it went."
The other rescuer suffered a broken leg.
Police said there were no skid marks to indicate the BMW's speed or that it tried to stop.
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