Terrence Kiel is Dead

• Author: Razvan Pirnac
• Filed under: Celebrities
• Date: Jul 5,2008

Former San Diego Chargers safety Terrence Kiel, whose off-field problems prevented his enormous talent from coming to fruition, has died in a car crash at age 27.

Kiel was reportedly driving alone after leaving a party at about 10:15 Friday night when his car hit a wall, ejecting him from the vehicle. He died about an hour later. A police spokesman said friends had tried to keep Kiel from driving home from the party, and witnesses told police he appeared to be driving in the wrong direction when he crashed. According to the Union-Tribune, Kiel was ejected from his car, and was barely breathing when emergency personnel reached him. The Lufkin, Texas, native was pronounced dead at 11:28 p.m.

A second-round pick from Texas A&M in the 2003 NFL draft, Kiel has been out of the league since the Chargers released him after a guilty plea to a felony drug charge in February 2007, according to the Union-Tribune. Kiel compiled 278 tackles, four interceptions, and two forced fumbles in four seasons with the Chargers, from 2003-2006. The accident occurred in the Scripps Ranch area of San Diego. A witness told police that Kiel was driving a 2004 Chevy sedan the wrong way before losing control and rolling it. Kiel was ejected from the vehicle.

Kiel was a second-round pick in the 2003 draft. He appeared in every game in 2003 and 2004, 12 in 2005, and 15 in 2006.

The Chargers released him in 2007 after he pleaded guilty to sending codeine-laced cough syrup to Houston, presumably for use as the main ingredient in the beverage known as “lean” or “purple drank.” No other team signed him.

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