Eddie Griffin dies after SUV colliding with a train

Former Minnesota Timberwolves forward Eddie Griffin dead after SUV collided with a freight train.

Eddie Griffin dies after SUV colliding with a train Former NBA player and Timberwoves forward Eddie Griffin died last week after his SUV collided with a freight train, according to a statement by the Harris County medical examiner's office.

On Friday Houston police was called to an awful scene, when a driver of an SUV ignored a railroad warning and went around the arms, crashing into the incoming train. At that time, due to the nature of the incident, the police was unable to identify the driver of the SUV. Using dental records the investigators were finally able to identify the dead driver today as the former NBA player Eddie Griffin.

"I was able this afternoon to get some dental records from the one dentist he had gone to see in Houston, and they were able to use that apparently to positively identify him," said Derek S. Hollingsworth, former attorney of Eddie Griffin.

Griffin, 25, has recently battled alcohol problems and was suspended in January for five games for violating his drug program and in 2003-2004 spent time in the Betty Ford Center for alcohol treatment. According to the former Timberwolves coach Dwane Casey, Eddie Griffin was working this summer to overcome his alcohol problem and was preparing to play in Europe, before the fatal crash occurred. He signed with the Timberwoves as a free agent in 2004, but continued to get in trouble outside the court, and was waived in March after playing only 13 games with the NBA team.

Published on 08/21/2007