23-year old Ghanaian footballer Eugene Quaynor died in a horrific car crash on Wednesday in the United States.
The captain of the college men’s soccer team at Oral Roberts University died when an accused drunk driver crashed into his car, according to Oklahoma police.
Quaynor was at a stop light just after 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 28 when an SUV rear-ended his car, pushing it through the intersection, the Tulsa Police Department said in a news release.
Quaynor’s car spun around, hit a wall and caught fire, police said. People nearby tried to help him get out — breaking the car’s windows with rocks — but the flames quickly engulfed the vehicle.
Officers reported arriving to find Quaynor dead and the SUV driver attempting to flee. Police said the SUV driver appeared to be “severely intoxicated.”
“Eugene was the epitome of the mission we strive for,” the university’s athletics department said in a statement on Sept. 29. “He was a leader on the field as a captain of the men’s soccer team and had a spirit-empowered heart ready to lead and impact the world for Jesus. His infectious smile will be missed.”
Quaynor previously played for the Phoenix Academy in Accra, Ghana, and the Flint City Bucks in Flint, Michigan, according to statements from both organizations.
He had been playing defense for Oral Roberts University for the last four seasons.