AUSTIN, Texas – The Austin Police Department says the woman killed in a motorcycle crash alongside Cedric Benson Saturday evening was 27-year-old Aamna Najam.
- APD report on deadly crash released Monday
- Former football star Cedric Benson was 36 years old
- Benson's passenger identified as Aamna Najam, 27
According to a preliminary investigation, witnesses to the crash said the motorcycle driven by Cedric Benson was traveling at a high speed on FM 2222 the night of the crash.
A van was stopped at the intersection with Mount Bonnell Road, and after checking for oncoming traffic, pulled out into the intersection.
That is when police say the van was hit by Benson’s motorcycle. Both Benson and Najam were killed in the crash.
APD says the van driver remained at the scene of the crash and is cooperating with the investigation.
On Saturday before his death, Benson posted a photo of a motorcycle on Instagram with the caption “My Saturday evening.”
RELATED | WATCH: Former UT Longhorn Reflects on Cedric Benson
Benson was 36 years old. He was a consensus All-American, 2004 Doak Walker Award winner, and second on the UT all-time rushing list.
Over the weekend, football fans and people who knew Benson took to social media remembering the former University of Texas running back.
Benson’s attorney Sam Bassett released the following statement:
“Cedric was not just a client, he was my friend. He was immensely talented and fierce on the football field yet most have no idea the difficulties he overcame to achieve what he did. Though imperfect in some respects, once Cedric was your friend you understood how kind, sensitive and loyal he was as a man. He was like a younger brother or nephew to me. I will miss him very much.”
Texas Linebacker Derrick Johnson released this statement:
“Being two of the biggest names in our recruiting class in 2001, Cedric and I roomed together our freshman year. We became really great friends. For that freshman class, he was head of the offense and I was head of the defense. That was our mindset always. We really had a special bond that started as soon as we roomed together and carried on long after college. His favorite thing to call me was cuddy. I loved it because it reminded me of my hometown. On the field, Cedric was a workhorse and one of the toughest players I’ve ever been around. He will always be remembered as a Texas legend and best of all a really good friend that I can tell my kids about. It’s a very sad day, but I’m so lucky to have had such a wonderful relationship and so many great memories.”
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