By Olin Ericksen
Staff Writer

November 17 – Professional football player and former Bruin Marcus Cassel, 23, died early Friday morning after his speeding vehicle slammed into a tree in a Santa Monica park, coming to rest just feet from a seaside cliff, police said.

The Carolina Panther cornerback was speeding down Santa Monica Boulevard, when his vehicle continued past Ocean Avenue, broke a fence and ended up in the seaside park, police said

“The vehicle (struck) a tree and then rolled over on itself coming to rest against a cement light standard,” Capt. Alex Padilla Padilla, the Police Department spokesman, told the Lookout News. “Firefighters used their extrication tools to free Mr. Cassel from the vehicle.”

Although paramedics stabilized Cassel and he was transported to a local hospital, “he later died as a result of the injuries he suffered in the traffic accident,” Padilla said.

No one else was in the vehicle, police said.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

A tow-truck hauled the Burgundy SUV perched on its side around 1:45 Friday.

Some trash lay strewn next to the vehicle, which many have run over the Will Rogers plaque, causing it to flip, according to a vendor at the scene.

A talented defensive back in college, Cassel was placed in injured reserve August 30, according to the NFL.

Hailing from Carson, the 6 foot 189 pound Cassel was a starting corner back in 2004 for the Bruins, according to the UCLA Bruins Web site.

In 2004 alone, he made 33 tackles and his two fumble recoveries tied for fourth in the PAC 10 (0.18) per game.

Cassel, who was not picked in the draft, was signed as a free agent by the Panthers in May and given a $1,000 signing bonus, according to the team’s Web site.

The Santa Monica Police Department is investigating the cause of the traffic accident. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Detective Chris Dawson at (310) 458-8954.