There are college football fans. And then there are guys like Darryl Parker.
Since growing up next door to the University of Alabama, Parker, 50, traveled to as many football games as he could to see the Crimson Tide play, nephew Tim Horton told the AJC. In 1995, Parker was left partially paralyzed and in a wheelchair after a crash on the way to a game, Horton said.
"It never stopped him from hitting the road," Horton said.
Parker and 13 family members and friends -- all Alabama football fans -- were headed to New Orleans for Monday night's college football national championship game between No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama when their motor home apparently blew a tire, ran off a Mississippi highway and crashed Saturday afternoon.
Parker, of Riverdale, died Saturday night.
Forrest County, Miss., Coroner Butch Benedict said Sunday that 66-year-old Alfred Holt Jr. of Lithonia, the driver of the vehicle, died Sunday, the day after Parker died. Benedict said Parker's wife was among 10 people injured when the 2002 Freightliner crashed.
Mississippi Highway Patrol Cpl. Todd Miller said the motor home blew a front tire, ran off I-59 in Forrest County and hit a tree in the median.
Miller told the AJC on Monday that there was no indication at the scene that alcohol use was a contributing factor in the crash, or that there was any negligence on the part of the RV's owner.
Holt and Parker were longtime friends who shared a love of Alabama football, Horton said. Parker's brother, sister-in-law, nieces and nephews and other close friends were also aboard the motor home, Horton said.
Police said the motor home is owned by former AFL player Solomon Brannan, who had decided not to make the trip.
Brannan told The Associated Press that he let a group of friends borrow the vehicle, but didn't go with them because he had just returned from New Orleans and had a funeral to attend.
Brannan, who played college football at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, played on kick return teams for the Kansas City Chiefs in 1965 and 1966, and the New York Jets in 1967. Brannan, 70, is president of the Atlanta chapter of the NFL Retired Players Association.
Brannan told the AP that Holt was a professional bus driver, and Brannan was confident he could handle the large vehicle, but a blowout is hard to overcome.
"It was just an unfortunate thing," Brannan said.
One person remained in intensive care Sunday, and four others were in regular hospital rooms. They were all in stable condition, said Ronda Smith, patient care supervisor at Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, Miss. She said several others were treated and released.
A hospital spokeswoman declined Monday to release the conditions of those hospitalized, citing privacy concerns.
Once others injured in the crash have healed, Horton said his family plans to continue his uncle's legacy of traveling to as many Alabama football games as possible.
“We’re going to continue this for him," Horton said. "I know he would want that. He's cheering ‘Roll Tide' right now."
-- Staff writer Mike Morris and The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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