More on Mike Darr

February 15, 2002

Mike Darr Photo: Mel Bailey

San Diego Padres outfielder Mike Darr was killed and a minor league pitcher was injured early Friday when the vehicle they were riding in rolled over on an interstate in Phoenix, the Associated Press reported.

Ben Howard, a 23-year-old pitcher who played for San Diego's Class A and Double-A affiliates last season, was treated at the scene and released, Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman Frank Valenzuela said.

Another man in the vehicle–23-year-old Duane Johnson, of Reno, Nev.–also was killed in the accident.

"He may be affiliated with the team but we are not sure yet," Valenzuela said. "We just know that he's not a player."

The Padres hold spring training in nearby Peoria, Ariz., and Friday was the deadline for the team's pitchers and catchers to report.

Valenzuela released all three identities after the victims' relatives were notified of the crash, which occurred about 2 a.m. MT.

Valenzuela said Darr was the driver of the vehicle and it appeared the accident was alcohol-related.

The vehicle apparently drifted into the dirt center median, then the driver over-corrected, Valenzuela said.

It rolled across all three westbound lanes of the freeway and crashed through a fence, coming to rest on a frontage road.

Valenzuela said Darr and Johnson were not wearing seatbelts and were ejected and killed.

Howard was in the back seat and was wearing a seatbelt, Valenzuela said.

Darr, 25, was San Diego's opening day center fielder in 2001, his first full big league season.

Darr made 24 starts in center and 45 in right, where Tony Gwynn hardly played because of leg injuries.

Darr was the Padres' minor league player of the year in 1997 after being obtained from Detroit with another player for second baseman Jody Reed late in spring training that year.

Howard, the Padres No. 6 prospect, played last season for the Padres' affiliates in Mobile and Lake Elsinore. He went 2-0, 2.40 in 30 innings for the BayBears and 8-2, 2.83 in 102 innings with the Storm.

Darr is the second Padres player to die in an auto accident in the last six months and the fourth baseball player in the last year.

Padres prospect Gerik Baxter and Athletics draft pick Mark Hilde were killed on July 29, 2001, when Baxter's vehicle blew a tire and rolled several times.

Mets prospect Brian Cole died in a one-car accident on March 31, 2001.