ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Markel Byrd was “a shining light” with a world of talent and potential, University of New Mexico football coach Bob Davie said Wednesday morning.
Markel, a UNM sophomore safety, died Tuesday night in a single-car crash on I-40 near Gallup. According to a UNM news release, a tire blowout was the cause of the accident.
Byrd died instantly, according to the release. His girlfriend, Albuquerque’s Alexis Ortiz, was taken to a hospital in critical condition.
Davie said he spoke with Ortiz’s mother Wednesday morning and was told she was “doing much better.”
Of Byrd, Davie told the Journal in a phone interview, “He was a unique personality.
Updated: Davie: Byrd was a unique personality
