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IRVING, Texas — Police charged Cowboys defensive lineman Josh Brent with intoxication manslaughter yesterday after he flipped his car in a pre-dawn accident that killed teammate Jerry Brown.
Irving police spokesman John Argumaniz said the accident happened about 2:20 a.m. yesterday in the Dallas suburb, hours before Brent was to be on a team flight to Cincinnati for the Cowboys’ game today against the Bengals.
Argumaniz said the 25-year-old Brown — a practice-squad linebacker who also was Brent’s teammate for three seasons at the University of Illinois — was found unresponsive at the scene and pronounced dead at a hospital.
Brown died a week after Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher fatally shot his girlfriend before killing himself in front of his coach and general manager.
“We are deeply saddened by the news of this accident and the passing of Jerry Brown,” Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement. “At this time, our hearts and prayers and deepest sympathies are with the members of Jerry’s family and all of those who knew him and loved him.”
Officers conducted a field sobriety test on Brent and arrested him on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, Argumaniz said. The charge, a second-degree felony punishable by two to 20 years in prison, was upgraded after Brown was pronounced dead.
Argumaniz said Brent, who pleaded guilty to a drunken driving charge three years ago at Illinois, was being held without bond. Brent is named as Joshua Price-Brent in the police news release. Argumaniz said Brent missed a 10 a.m. yesterday booking session with a judge because he was intoxicated.
Former Illinois coach Ron Zook said Brent, a third-year player who made the first start of his career in the opener against the Giants, was trying to help Brown make it in the NFL. Brown joined the Cowboys in October after he was released by the Colts.
Zook said he spoke with Brent’s agent, Peter Schaffer, who said he had made contact with Brent.
“He said Josh was distraught,” Zook said. “All he cared about was Jerry’s family.”