By MAX WINTERS, US DEPUTY SPORTS EDITOR
Published: 08:54 EST, 9 November 2025 | Updated: 08:56 EST, 9 November 2025
The woman who caused the car crash that killed Minnesota Vikings rookie Khyree Jackson and two of his former high school teammates pleaded guilty to three counts of negligent homicide under the influence of alcohol.
Cori Clingman, 25, made her plea in court in Maryland on Friday. Prosecutors will recommend a five-year sentence for each count.
'Incidents like these are not just accidents,' Prince George's County State's Attorney Tara Jackson said. 'They are preventable tragedies that occur from conscious choices.'
Clingman is due to be sentenced on February 4. Back in January, she was indicted on 13 counts before taking the plea deal.
Jackson was a fourth-round draft pick by the Vikings in April 2024. He played two years at Alabama before finishing his college career with one season at Oregon.
Jackson, 24, and Isaiah Hazel died at the scene of the three-car crash, while Anthony Lytton Jr. died at a hospital. Lytton was 24 and Hazel was 23.
Minnesota Vikings cornerback Khyree Jackson (pictured) was killed in the car crash in 2024
Jackson was a draft pick by the Vikings in April 2024 alongside quarterback J.J. McCarthy
The three were in the same vehicle just after 3am when it was struck by another vehicle that was going over 100mph and changing lanes, police said.
'We believe that there was contact made between Ms. Clingman's vehicle and the victims' vehicle,' State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy said.
Hazel was driving and Jackson and Lytton were passengers. Their car veered off the road after being hit and struck multiple tree stumps.
Nobody was injured in the second or third vehicles.
Hazel played college football at Maryland and Charlotte, and Lytton played at Florida State and Penn State.
The three won a state championship together at Maryland´s Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School.
Anthony Lytton Jr.
Isaiah Hazel
Following his death, the Vikings agreed to cover Jackson's funeral expenses and pay out his full signing bonus to his estate.
The Vikings released a statement at the time saying the team was 'devastated by the news.'
'I am heartbroken by the loss of Khyree,' general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said. 'As we got to know him throughout the pre-draft process, it was clear the goals Khyree wanted to accomplish both professionally and personally.
'His story was one of resilience. He was taking steps to become the best version of himself not just for him, but for those who cared about and looked up to him.'