Pierre, along with high school teammate Willie Jackson, was headed to Daytona Beach from Tallahassee. The accident occurred midday on Interstate 10/295 in Jacksonville. Pierre was pronounced dead at the scene, while Jackson was taken to Shands Hospital, were he was listed in critical condition.

Pierre, a Delray Beach native was expected to report to back to school on Monday, September 13, but informed the Bethune-Cookman football coaching staff that he was having car trouble, and would return Tuesday. After not hearing from him by Tuesday evening, the football coaches called his mother Anne Marie Pierre, and she informed them of the accident.

Jackson, a freshman also from Delray Beach, was set to sit out his freshman season at Bethune-Cookman as a Prop 48 recruit.

Bethune-Cookman coaches were shocked and disarrayed after hearing the news. "It's like someone dropped a ton of bricks on my head," said head coach Alvin Wyatt. "The entire coaching staff is disheartened and confused about this tragic accident."

Pierre, a freshman offensive lineman was slated to redshirt the 2004 football season, but had already made an impact on the team and coaching staff.

"He was a great student and we expected him to be one of our role models," said Coach Wyatt. "He was one of our future stars on the offensive line, a big athlete with great speed, who was always willing to go that one step beyond."

A memorial service for Pierre. was held on the B-CC campus on Tuesday.

© 2004 Azeez Communications, Inc.

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