Oregon State Football Player Dies in Crash

PORTLAND, Ore. – An Oregon State (search) football player was killed Friday night in a road-rage incident on Interstate 5, authorities said.

Justin Williams (search), 19, a redshirt freshman cornerback, was a passenger in a pickup that was struck by another vehicle 20 miles south of Portland (search) after a confrontation, said Oregon State Police Lt. Dale Rutledge.

"The two drivers got involved in a confrontation; you could call it 'road rage,' " Rutledge said. "One driver lost control and struck the second vehicle, a Toyota pickup, which rolled."

Williams, of Los Banos, Calif., was the only fatality.

The pickup was driven by Williams' uncle, 40-year-old Michael Keyes of Harrisburg, Ore., a former player at Oregon State.

Timothy Senske, 27, the driver of the other vehicle, and his passenger, Sonjulaine Jurasz, 34, were still at the scene of the incident late Friday helping officials reconstruct the accident, Rutledge said.

"Nobody's been charged; the accident is still under investigation. Both drivers were involved involved and our job is to determine who did what. Both were involved in this ongoing dispute," Rutledge said.

Williams, who majored in business management, was expected to compete for playing time this fall. He was listed third on the depth chart at right cornerback at the start of spring practice.

"I'm in a state of shock -- our hearts and prayers go out to the family," said Bob De Carolis, athletic director at Oregon State.

Williams lettered and started three years at wide receiver and cornerback at Los Banos High School, and was the team's most valuable player during his senior year.

"I think it will be a big blow -- a lot of the kids that knew him it will be in shock," said Gary Caropreso, the athletic director at Los Banos.

"He had so many things going for him. He got a scholarship. He was able to do what he wanted to do. To succeed in what he was able to do. It's so sad," he said, choking back tears in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.