Coach Boeheim hits & kills man in road tragedy
Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim, in a freak postgame accident, struck and killed a man while driving home Wednesday night after his Orange defeated Louisville.
The hoops Hall of Famer was headed east on Interstate 690 at 11:22 p.m. when his car fatally struck Jorge Jiminez on the side of the highway, cops said. The victim was later pronounced dead at Upstate University Hospital.
“I am heartbroken that a member of our community died as a result of last night’s accident,” said Boeheim in a statement released Thursday. “(My wife) Juli and I extend our deepest sympathies to the Jiminez family.
“Out of respect for those involved, I will not be providing further comment at this time.” Jiminez, 51, was a Cuban immigrant who arrived in the U.S. two decades ago — and was out buying cigarettes before the crash, his daughter told the Syracuse PostStandard. No alcohol was involved with either driver, and no tickets were issued.
“At this point, it appears to be just a god-awful tragedy,” said Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick.
Jiminez was a passenger in a car with three other people when their vehicle skidded out of control and into a guardrail, finally coming to a stop in the middle of the highway, police said.
The driver and his passengers left the damaged car and walked away from the wreck, according to cops. Boeheim (photo), 74, was headed home after a postgame dinner with family and friends when he swerved to avoid the abandoned car and ran into Jiminez.
“Both drivers remained on the scene, and are cooperating with this investigation,” read a statement from Syracuse police. “Field sobriety and alco-sensor tests for both drivers were negative for any sign of impairment.”
The accident occurred shortly after Syracuse was hit by freezing rain.
Boeheim, the Syracuse coach for the last 43 years, directed his 18-8 team to a 69-49 triumph over 18th-ranked Louisville shortly before the collision.
The coach was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005, and led the Orange to five Final Fours and a national championship in 2003.
“I am deeply saddened by the news that a member of our Central New York community was tragically killed in an accident last night involving coach Jim Boeheim,” said Chancellor Kent Syverud.”