Football player from Waukegan among three Indiana State University students killed in weekend crash

GURNEE, Ill. (CBS) -- A young man from Waukegan was among three Indiana State University students who were killed in a crash over the weekend, about 10 miles away from campus.

Christian Eubanks, 18, was a freshman football player. One of the other two students killed in the crash was a teammate.

Two other football players were seriously injured in the crash.

The single-vehicle crash happened around 1:30 a.m. Sunday on Indiana State Road 46 at Main Street in Riley, Indiana – where for reasons unknown, the car left the road and hit a tree, according to the Vigo County Sheriff's Office. 

The car was on fire when sheriff's deputies arrived. Two passengers were rescued from the vehicle and taken to the hospital with serious injuries. The driver and two other passengers were pronounced dead at the scene.

Just months ago, Eubanks proudly walked across the stage at Warren Township High School in Gurnee. His future was promising and bright.

But weeks after heading to downstate Indiana for a college football camp, the car crash cut short the rising student athlete's life. And as rays of sun beamed down on the 50-yard line at the football field Monday, there was a void at Warren Township High School.

"He had heart. He had potential," said Warren Township varsity football Coach Bryan McNulty. "He had everything."

McNulty was thinking of Eubanks, his former linebacker, while cleaning up after practice Monday. Eubanks had just started college and was playing football for Indiana State University.

On Sunday morning, Coach McNulty missed a call from ISU's head coach.

"Anytime you get a call from a head college football coach on Sunday morning, it's usually not good," he said.

Coach McNulty soon learned that Eubanks had passed away.

Indiana State University confirmed all five people in the car were students. The three who died were Eubanks; 19-year-old Jayden Musili of Ft. Wayne, Indiana; and 19-year-old Caleb VanHooser of Liberty Township, Ohio. VanHooser was also a freshman Indiana State football player.

The two survivors were identified as 20 year old Omarian Dixon, of Lafayette, Indiana; and 19-year-old John Moore, of Wheaton, Illinois. The university said both of them are also ISU football players.

They were critically injured.

"There are no words to express the depth of our sadness about this tragedy," ISU President Dr. Deborah J. Curtis said in a statement on the university's website. "We send our condolences to the family and friends of the students involved. The Sycamore family is mourning and will support each other in this time of grief."  

ISU's football team did not practice on Monday. The university said its student-athletes gathered Sunday night at Memorial Stadium to mourn the deaths of their teammates.

"It is a terrible day for Indiana State football and a devastating loss for both the Eubanks and the VanHooser families. Both young men were quality individuals who were loved and respected by their teammates and this staff. To say they will be missed is an understatement. Our continued prayers and support are with their families, friends, and teammates during this difficult time," head football coach Curt Mallory said in a statement.

While the crash happened many miles away, the impact was felt back in Gurnee too.

"You can't just aimlessly get into a car or whatever. I'm not saying that Chris did that, but it didn't take much. When he got into that car that night, he didn't expect to not come out of it," McNulty said, "and that's what I want our kids to be vigilant of – just like be careful with everything they do; every step they take."

Warren Township High School football players are now coping with the sudden loss of someone who achieved what they wanted – to play for a college team.

"All his potential all the things he had going for him, he won't be able to fulfill now," McNulty said.

The coach showed CBS 2's Jermont Terry a text message that Eubanks had sent weeks earlier. Eubanks had reached out and thanked McNulty for pushing him.

He told the coach, "It's been great," and even asked about the high school team.

"When you get a text like the one that he exchanged with me, like, 'Thank you for making me do this,' or whatever, it's just like - in my head, I said, Christian, he's just got it. He just figured it out. Like this kid's life is going on a trajectory that's way up there," McNulty said, "and then to get news two weeks later –you just don't even know what to think."

On Friday night at the varsity game, Warren Township will hold a moment of silence for Eubanks. The team is dedicating its season to him too.