U.S.

Former NFL Kicker Accused Of Erratic Driving Before Death

Some drivers say Rob Bironas threatened them and tried to run them off the road before he fatally crashed his vehicle Saturday.

Former NFL Kicker Accused Of Erratic Driving Before Death
Getty Images / Bob Levey
SMS

Former Tennessee Titans kicker Rob Bironas died Saturday night after reportedly losing control of his SUV. But it's what might have happened before the crash catching most media attention.

WTVF: "A police report shows his wife reporting him missing around the time of his death."

WZTV: "A 911 dispatcher received a frantic call. ... A woman reporting a man she now suspects to be the former kicker driving erratically just before the crash and trying to run her off the road."

WAVE: "We pulled over, and he looked at us. We don't even know him. And he sped off. My husband got out and said, 'What is your problem?'"

Local station WKRN reports the crash happened just one mile from Bironas' home at 11 p.m. Police say Bironas was speeding and lost control in a curve before crashing into trees and landing upside-down in a nearby stream.

Police say Bironas' wife thought he went to bed Saturday night but reported him missing after she says she couldn't find him in their home.

Now another similar incident is being reported. Three students say they, too, were threatened and sideswiped in their vehicle just minutes before Bironas' alleged confrontation with the woman from the 911 call. (Video via WDRB)

According to The Tennessean, a passenger in the vehicle says they drove up to what they think was Bironas' SUV to tell the driver about a problem with the exhaust. The student says the driver then threatened them, reportedly saying, "I'm going to kill everybody in your (expletive) vehicle."

Police say the investigation into the incident is ongoing. An autopsy was performed Monday, and a toxicology report is pending.

This video includes an image from Getty Images.