HOUSTON — Houston police have released more details about the horrible weekend crash that left six people dead in downtown Houston.
Three former University of Houston football players, two other men and a woman were killed in the violent crash on Fannin Street near Pierce Street early Saturday.
Lauren Robinson-Holliday was driving a black Acura SUV with five passengers, including the former UH players. Robinson-Holliday, 32, D.J. Hayden, 33, Zachary McMillian, 32, and Ralph Oragwu, 31 were killed.
According to Houston police, they were headed southbound on Fannin and had a green light when a black Chrysler 300 ran a red light and slammed into them at a high rate of speed. Three people in the Acura were ejected, police said.
Christian Herrera, 25, was driving the Chrysler, which also struck a homeless man named Frank Johnson, 31, who was on the sidewalk, according to HPD.
Oragwu and Johnson died at the scene. Hayden and McMillian were rushed to an area hospital but didn't survive.
Two other passengers in the Acura remained hospitalized, police said Monday. A 30-year-old woman is in critical condition and a 32-year-old man is stable.
The victims
D.J. Hayden
Hayden, 33, is a former University of Houston and NFL football player who made national headlines in 2012 when he suffered a life-threatening injury in a practice at UH. After that injury, he had surgery to repair a tear in the main blood vessel that leads into the heart. The inferior vena cava carries blood from the lower half of the body back to the heart. At the time, doctors said it's an injury more often seen in car accidents than in football.
Hayden became a first-round draft pick of the Oakland Raiders in 2013 and played in eight seasons through 2020 for the Raiders, Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Hayden was born in Houston and played high school football at Fort Bend ISD's Elkins High School in Missouri City.
He was working as a defensive back coach at Second Baptist School before dying in the crash.
"This was his first year with our program," said Beck Brydon, head football coach for Second Baptist School. "Our team is devastated. Kids loved him. He made a huge impact on our kids and our program in the short time we knew him. He will be sorely missed!"
KHOU 11 interviewed Hayden about his "Play Your Heart Out" football camp four years ago.
Zachary McMillian
Zachary McMillian attended Fort Bend ISD's Dulles High School before going on to play football for the University of Houston, where he was a defensive back. He saw action in all four years at the University of Houston. In his senior season, he was third in the American Athletic Conference with five interceptions.
According to his bio on the University of Houston athletics site, at Dulles, McMillian was also a track and field athlete, a member of DECA and PALS and was named Mr. DHS his senior year.
His father, Audray McMillian, also played football for the University of Houston and nine years in the NFL for the Houston Oilers and Minnesota Vikings.
Ralph Oragwu
Ralph Oragwu attended Fort Bend ISD's Marshall High School before going on to play football for the University of Houston.
Oragwu was born in Lagos, Nigeria and graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in sociology.
Lauren Robinson-Holliday
Lauren Robinson-Holliday, 32, is a graduate of Hightower High School in the Fort Bend ISD high school in Fort Bend ISD, as well as East Texas Baptist University and Lamar University. Her mom said she leaves behind a host of family and friends that love her.
"My baby mattered. She was driving the car when that man killed her. She was important, too," Cynthia Bennett said.
Bennett said she wants everyone to remember her daughter as a good person.
State Rep. Ron Reynolds considered Robinson-Holliday to be like a niece and described her as a "beautiful, intelligent, God-fearing young lady whose life was taken too soon."
He went on to say that she was a remarkable product of the community who did a lot of community service like back-to-school giveaways and Thanksgiving food distributions.
"She was a giving person in private and personal life," Reynolds said.
Robinson-Holliday leaves behind a spouse, mother, father, siblings, nieces, nephews, godchildren and a community that loved her.
Reaction and condolences
After news broke of the accident, messages of condolences started to pour in for the former UH football players.
The University of Houston released the following statement:
"The entire University of Houston community is heartbroken over the tragic passing of former Football student-athletes D.J. Hayden, Zachary McMillian and Ralph Oragwu earlier today, and our thoughts and prayers remain with Jeffery Lewis in his recovery ahead. We extend our deepest condolences to their families, friends, and loved ones, as we collectively mourn the loss of three individuals who made an indelible impact on each life they touched. While their combined talents provided Houston Football some of its most unforgettable moments, their unique legacies will best be remembered for the way they loved their teammates, supported their communities and defied the odds."
The Raiders released the following statement on X on Hayden's passing:
"The Raiders Family is mourning the tragic loss of former cornerback D.J. Hayden. The Raiders' first-round draft pick out of the University of Houston in 2013. DD.J. overcame a heart injury sustained in a college practice to play nine years in the NFL, including his first four with the Silver and Black. D.J.'s courage, perseverance and dedication to his teammates will be fondly remembered by everyone who knew him. The prayers of the entire Raider Nation are with D.J.'s loved ones at this time."
The Houston Texans posted to X, honoring the three former UH players killed early Saturday morning.
On Monday, FBISD released a statement.
"Fort Bend ISD joins those in our community who are mourning the tragic deaths of former FBISD students D.J. Hayden, Zach McMillan, Ralph Oragwu and Lauren Robinson-Holliday. They each achieved great things as young adults. They remained close to family, friends and loved ones in our community. We offer our sincere condolences to all who knew and loved them and are grappling with this tremendous loss. We also extend our thoughts and prayers to those who remain in the hospital."