LaDainian Tomlinson's father and a man believed to be Tomlinson's half-brother were killed in a car crash yesterday near Tomlinson's hometown of Waco, Texas.
Oliver Tomlinson, 71, was a passenger in a truck driven by Ronald McClain, 49. Tomlinson died at the scene, and McClain died later at an area hospital.
According to the Waco Tribune-Herald, witnesses said a tire on the truck blew out while the vehicle was traveling 55 mph. The truck swerved off the road and flipped over. Tomlinson and McClain were thrown from the truck.
“The entire Chargers family is extremely saddened by this tragic news,” Chargers President Dean Spanos said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with LT and his entire family.”
Tomlinson was to have left San Diego on vacation yesterday. The team said he was believed to be traveling to Texas late yesterday.
“We extend our support to LaDainian's family and will do anything that we can to help them through this difficult period,” Spanos said. “At the same time, we also respect the family's privacy at such a sensitive time.”
Jewel Tomlinson, Oliver's wife and LaDainian's stepmother, told the Tribune-Herald her husband and McClain were returning to Waco after a trip to a neighboring county to check on a burglary at Oliver Tomlinson's home. He was staying in Waco while recovering from an illness.
LaDainian Tomlinson and his father were estranged for much of Tomlinson's youth before the younger man contacted his father during his sophomore year in college.
“That was one happy day for me,” Oliver told the Union-Tribune in 2004. “He showed up, and we sure did have a hug and a conversation for the longest. I hated to see him leave.”
LaDainian Tomlinson, who was the NFL MVP in 2006, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Oliver Tomlinson struggled with addictions his entire life, Loreane Tomlinson, LaDainian's mother and Oliver's ex-wife, told the Dallas Morning News last month.
“LaDainian's asked him several times to come and stay with him (in San Diego),” she told the paper. “He would do whatever it takes, but he refuses to leave (Texas).”
Loreane remembered in the Morning News article that her son called her last season, worried about his father.
“I can't help him,” he told his mother, “there's nothing I can do.”
Kevin Acee: (619) 293-1857; kevin.acee@uniontrib.com
