Charges are now filed in connection with last summer's traffic death of Vikings draft pick Khyree Jackson. Cori Clingman was arraigned Thursday in Maryland.
"Her counts include grossly negligent and criminally negligent vehicular manslaughter, as well as counts of vehicular manslaughter related to driving under the influence and being impaired by alcohol for each of the victims," Prince George's County state's attorney Aisha Braveboy announced.
The 24-year-old Jackson was one of three men killed in the crash that happened in the early morning hours July 6, 2024. According to the charges, the vehicle she was driving struck the car carrying Jackson and two friends. Police say Jackson's vehicle careened off the road and hit multiple trees.
"Our community lost three amazing young men," said Braveboy. "All were scholars, all were athletes. One was headed to the NFL, had just been drafted by the Minnesota Vikings."
Clingman faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted.
“This just starts really our fight to get justice for these three young men, their families, Wise High School, the NFL, and this entire community,” Braveboy said.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether Clingman had an attorney. Braveboy said Clingman was arrested without incident and would have a bond review on Friday.
Jackson was a fourth-round draft pick by the Vikings in April. He played two years at Alabama before finishing his college career with one season at Oregon.
Jackson, 24, and Isaiah Hazel died at the scene of the three-car crash, while Anthony Lytton Jr. died at a hospital. Lytton was 24 and Hazel was 23.
The three were in the same vehicle just after 3 a.m. when it was struck by another vehicle that was speeding and changing lanes, police said.
“We believe that there was contact made between Ms. Clingman’s vehicle and the victims’ vehicle,” Braveboy said.
Hazel was driving and Jackson and Lytton were passengers. Their car veered off the road after being hit and struck multiple tree stumps.
Nobody was injured in the second or third vehicles.
Hazel played college football at Maryland and Charlotte, and Lytton played at Florida State and Penn State.
The three won a state championship together at Maryland’s Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School.