Ohio State Player Is Killed in Car Crash

Jayson Gwinn, an Ohio State backup defensive end, died early Sunday in a two-car collision after leaving a nightclub where a teammate had been shot.

Gwinn, 20, was pronounced dead at about 3 a.m., EST, near the university’s Woody Hayes Athletic Facility. Shortly before the crash, Gwinn had helped teammate Marvin Stillwell, who was shot once in the buttocks. Police said the shooting occurred in a parking lot outside a nightclub near campus.

Gwinn’s car collided with a car driven by another Ohio State student, Keri Adams, 21, of Dayton. Adams was in fair condition Sunday at University Medical Center, officials said. There were no passengers in either car. No charges have been filed.

Stillwell, a sophomore linebacker from Mansfield, was in good condition at the medical center. No arrests have been made in Stillwell’s shooting, police said.

Sgt. David Clark said Gwinn was driving a car with Stillwell inside. Gwinn then stopped when he saw Clark, other officers and an Emergency Medical Service truck about eight blocks from the nightclub.

The medics took Stillwell from the car at about 2:45 a.m. and took him to the hospital, Clark said. Gwinn then drove away. “He (Gwinn) was really distraught and upset,” Clark said. “He was walking back and forth and wouldn’t calm down. I asked him a couple of times to relax and told him we needed his help, but he wouldn’t cool off. Eventually I grabbed him, but he pulled away from me, got into his car and drove off.”

Gwinn, a sophomore academically who was redshirted in his freshman year, was the backup to defensive end Randall Brown in his first season for Ohio State this year. Gwinn had 14 solo tackles and assisted on 11.

Funeral arrangements for Gwinn were pending.