Byrd (pictured) was 50 when he died on October 15 after a two-vehicle crash north of Claremore, a Tulsa suburb
An Oklahoma man has been charged with manslaughter almost a year after a collision killed former NFL player Dennis Byrd.
Rogers County court records indicate the charge was filed Wednesday against 18-year-old Zachary Reed of Claremore.
The records show a warrant was issued for Reed’s arrest but don’t indicate whether he is represented by an attorney.
Byrd was 50 when he died on October 15 after a two-vehicle crash north of Claremore, a Tulsa suburb.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said at the time that a northbound vehicle driven by Reed veered into the oncoming lane and struck a vehicle driven by Byrd.
Byrd played for the University of Tulsa and later was a defensive lineman for the New York Jets.
A neck injury ended his career in 1992.
He was midway through his fourth NFL season when he was briefly paralyzed during a game on November 29, 1992, against Kansas City.
He broke his neck after slamming headfirst into the chest of teammate Scott Mersereau as Chiefs quarterback David Krieg stepped forward to avoid a sack.
The impact broke the C-5 vertebra in Byrd’s neck, leaving him unable to walk for a few weeks.
After a vigorous rehabilitation, Byrd returned to the Meadowlands for the Jets’ opening game the following season and walked to midfield as an honorary captain.
Byrd (left in 1991 and right in 1993) broke his neck after slamming headfirst into the chest of teammate Scott Mersereau as Chiefs quarterback David Krieg stepped forward to avoid a sack. Byrd never fully recovered from the injury and walked with some difficulty afterward
He never fully recovered from the injury, walking with some difficulty and going through continuous rehabilitation during the years.
But Byrd, a devout Christian, wrote a book in 1993 called ‘Rise and Walk,’ which detailed how he relied on his faith and family to push through his injury to recover and serve an inspiration to others who went through similar situations.
The highway patrol said the crash happened about 11.15am between Oologah and Claremore.
Police said everyone in the vehicles were wearing their seatbelts with they collided.