Former Durango (Las Vegas) football player
Donovan Smith died Thursday following a single-vehicle accident, Nevadapreps.com reported.
Smith, 17, was found unconscious behind the wheel and died en route to the hospital after the vehicle he was driving struck a wall, Las Vegas police spokesman Jay Rivera told Nevadapreps.com. A passerby reported the accident, which occurred on the west side of Las Vegas, at 9:25 a.m.
Rivera said the amount of damage to the vehicle wasn't consistent with a fatality due to the collision, and the coroner will determine cause of death.
"What we're being told is we lost one of our own in a car accident," Durango athletic administrator Tim Jackson told Nevadapreps.com. "We lost a wonderful young man."
Smith scored 14 touchdowns during his senior season, helping the Trailblazers (7-4) reach the Sunset Region playoffs. He finished with 760 yards rushing and caught 28 passes for 535 yards while playing wide receiver, running back and quarterback.
Smith also earned first-team All-Southwest League honors at defensive back after making 59 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions. Smith received interest from Football Championship Subdivision schools Southern Utah and San Diego, but had not signed a letter of intent.
"I'm almost numb," Durango coach Gary Maki told Nevadapreps.com. "It's so hard to believe, because he's such a great kid. He had real good grades, just a polite kid, comes from a good family. It's just totally shocking."
David Schoen works at the Las Vegas Review-Journal, and is a former Associate Sports Editor and Turn2 columnist for the Oakland (Calif.) Tribune. You can reach him at ByDavid1@aol.com.
