Nick Adenhart, Angels pitcher, killed in car accident
Why
Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart was among three people killed in a crash in Fullerton when a driver ran a red light, an associate of the rookie player said this morning. The crash occurred hours after the 22-year-old appeared in Wednesday night's Angels game. He died in the accident that occurred shortly after midnight at the intersection of Orangethorpe Avenue and Lemon Street in Fullerton, said Lt. Craig Brower of the Fullerton Police Department. Several witnesses told police that the driver of a red minivan ran a red light at the intersection, hitting a silver Mitsubishi carrying four people. Two people were pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics, authorities said. Two others were taken to a nearby hospital, where a third person was later pronounced dead, Brower said. The driver of the minivan fled on foot shortly after the accident but was taken into custody on suspicion of hit and run when police found him a mile away, Brower said. Further charges are pending as the investigation continues, he said. A passenger in the minivan was taken to Western Medical Center, authorities said. The condition of that person was unknown. A third vehicle also was involved, but there were no reports of any injuries. Adenhart's rise with the Angels reflected his faith in the team and the team's faith in modern medicine. As a senior at Williamsport High School in Silver Spring, Md., in 2004, Adenhart was projected to be one of the top picks in baseball's annual draft, which would have made him an instant millionaire. However, two weeks before the draft, Adenhart suffered an elbow injury so severe that reconstructive surgery would be required. The Angels picked him anyway, in the 14th round of the draft, where signing bonuses generally run four figures instead of seven. At that point, Adenhart had planned to have the operation, then attend the University of North Carolina, play for its baseball team after rehabilitation and rebuild his status as a prospect. But the Angels, confident in the success of the procedure popularly known as "Tommy John surgery," convinced Adenhart to sign with them and rehabilitate under their care. They persuaded him in part with a $710,000 signing bonus, roughly what he would have made had he been drafted in the second round.
Search Terms:
nick adenhart, nick adenhart killed, nick adenhart dead, nick adenhart car accident, nick adenhart death, nick adenhart dies
References:
http://www.latimes.com/news/la-me-nick-adenhart-killed10-2009apr10,http://www.minorleagueball.com/2009/4/9/828307/nick-adenhart,http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/09/nick-adenhart-angels-pitc_n_185133.html,http://www.tmz.com/2009/04/09/angels-starting-pitcher-killed-after-ball-game/,http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/04/09/angels-pitcher-nick-adenhart-killed-in-car-accident/
