Former UNK football player dies in crash near Ashland

ASHLAND, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a former football player from the University of Nebraska at Kearney has died in a rollover crash.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports that 24-year-old Hinwa Allieu was headed east on Interstate 80 south of Ashland around 3:45 a.m. Sunday when the Dodge Ram pickup he was driving left the road and entered the median.

The Lincoln Journal-Star reports that the pickup went airborne and landed about 90 feet (27.43 meters) away. Allieu was partially thrown from the vehicle, according to officials. The pickup was on fire when deputies arrived on the scene.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash. Allieu was a UNK defensive lineman from 2016-19 and graduated in 2021 with a degree in construction management.

“We are saddened and devastated to learn of the passing of Hinwa,” UNK football coach Josh Lynn said in a statement. “He was a gifted player and team leader, and an even better man.”