West Georgia Athletics

Carrollton — One University of West Georgia student-athlete was killed and another seriously injured in a car accident that occurred late Saturday, March 14, on Interstate 85 in Lee County near Opelika, Ala. Willie Pitts, 21, was killed and Calvin Dennis, 18, and his father, Hillary Dennis, 58, driver of the vehicle, are in intensive care in the East Alabama Medical Center.

Both Pitts and Dennis played football for UWG and were on their way home to Tallahassee, Fla. for spring break. Pitts was a defensive lineman from Lincoln High School and Dennis is a wide receiver from Florida High School.

Both Dennis and his father are listed in serious condition.

Darryl Dickey, UWG head football coach and interim athletic director, immediately went to the hospital on Sunday to be with Dennis.

According to a statement from Lee County Coroner Bill Harris, the Dennis vehicle was traveling south on I-85 when it apparently hydroplaned on the wet highway, overturned and hit a tree around 11:30 p.m. Pitts was in the process of being transferred to University Hospital-Birmingham when he went into cardiac arrest in the ER and died at 4:19 a.m.

The accident remains under investigation by the Lee County Coroner’s Office and the Opelika Post of the Alabama State Troopers. According to the coroner’s statement, no alcohol was involved in the accident and no charges are expected to be filed.