A promising college football player’s life was cut tragically short after a devastating rollover crash in Texas, leaving his family heartbroken and one of his own teammates facing a serious criminal charge.
Dylan Sebock, a 23-year-old defensive end at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, was killed early Thursday, October 8, when the vehicle he was riding in overturned along a highway in Sherman, Texas.
The driver, identified in multiple news reports as fellow football player De’Taurean Johnson, 23, was arrested on suspicion of intoxication manslaughter after investigators determined that impaired driving contributed to the deadly crash.
The tragedy unfolded shortly before 1 a.m. along North U.S. Highway 75, approximately 65 miles north of Dallas.
According to Sherman police, officers received several emergency calls reporting a single-vehicle rollover near the 5700 block of North U.S. Highway 75 East Control Road.
When first responders arrived, they discovered a badly damaged vehicle near the edge of the roadway.
Both occupants had been thrown from the vehicle during the violent crash.
Sebock was discovered approximately 15 feet from the service road. Emergency personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.
Johnson, a senior linebacker for the university’s Savage Storm football team, was reportedly found lying in the roadway when officers arrived.
Police said he stood up and attempted to flee on foot after spotting the first responding officer.
He was eventually detained and transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the crash.
Investigators with the Sherman Police Department’s Critical Accident Investigation Team examined the wreckage and collected evidence surrounding the circumstances of the collision.
Authorities said their investigation indicated that Johnson had been driving while intoxicated and that his impairment contributed to Sebock’s death.
After being released from the hospital, Johnson was taken into custody and booked into the Grayson County Jail.
He faces charges of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle and collision involving death, according to subsequent reports. His bond was set at $500,000.
Under Texas law, intoxication manslaughter is generally classified as a second-degree felony, punishable by two to 20 years in prison if convicted. Johnson is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
News of Sebock’s death sent shock waves through Southeastern Oklahoma State University, where both young men were members of the football program.
The university released a statement confirming the tragedy and offering condolences to the families and everyone affected.
“We are deeply saddened to confirm that one student has died as a result of the accident. The other student was hospitalized,” the university said.
“Our hearts are with their families, friends, teammates, and all those affected by this tragic loss.”
School officials also announced that counseling and other support resources were being made available to members of the campus community struggling with the devastating news.
For Sebock’s family, however, the loss represents far more than the death of a talented athlete.
In an emotional fundraising campaign, a family member described the young man as a beloved son, nephew, friend and teammate who had been eagerly looking forward to completing his senior year.
Sebock proudly wore No. 97 for the Savage Storm and had dedicated years of his life to the sport.
His family had been looking forward to watching him finish his final college football season, celebrate Senior Day and eventually walk across the stage at graduation.
Those milestones will now never happen.
“We were supposed to be watching #97 take the field,” the family wrote. “We were supposed to celebrate Senior Day. We were supposed to watch him walk across the stage at graduation.”
Instead, they are preparing to say goodbye to someone they expected to have many more years with.
Relatives remembered Sebock as a fun-loving young man whose personality extended well beyond the football field.
They described him as goofy, playful and always capable of making people laugh, even during difficult moments.
Behind the intimidating defensive end was someone who loved joking around and bringing happiness to those closest to him.
Sebock had also earned recognition for his athletic abilities.
A former standout at Midwest City High School in Oklahoma, he continued his football career at the college level and developed into an important member of Southeastern’s defense.
He earned third-team All-Great American Conference honors in 2025 after recording 32 tackles during the season.
At the time of his death, Sebock was in the middle of his senior season, with opportunities still ahead both on and off the field.
His family has established a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral expenses and support efforts to preserve his memory.
In the fundraising appeal, relatives expressed their anguish over what they believe was an entirely preventable tragedy.
“There is a hole in our family that can never be filled,” they wrote.
“No parent should ever have to bury their child. No family should have to receive the news that someone they love isn’t coming home because another person made the decision to drink and drive.”
Their message also included a plea to others never to get behind the wheel while intoxicated.
The family encouraged anyone who has been drinking to arrange another ride, call someone for help or hand over their keys rather than risk another person’s life.
As the criminal case moves forward, investigators have not publicly established every detail surrounding the moments before the vehicle overturned.
The tragedy has left the Savage Storm football community mourning a teammate while another member of the program faces potentially life-changing legal consequences.
For those who knew and loved Sebock, the focus remains on remembering the young man behind jersey No. 97.
He was supposed to finish college, celebrate his accomplishments and begin the next chapter of his life.
Instead, his family is left with memories of his laughter, his love of football and the future he never got to experience.
“Forever a Savage. Forever our son. Forever loved. Never forgotten,” his family wrote.