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Wisconsin assistant coach Howard Moore injured, two family members killed in serious car accident

Our thoughts to the entire Moore family.

By Jake Kocorowski Updated

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NCAA Basketball: Green Bay at Wisconsin Mary Langenfeld-USA TODAY Sports

UPDATE: On Sunday morning, Wisconsin officially released a statement about the accident involving Moore and his family, noting both Moore and his son, Jerell, are “expected to recover.” The release also includes comments from men’s basketball head coach Greg Gard and UW athletic director Barry Alvarez:

Statement regarding the family of Howard Moore

MADISON, Wis. – Early Saturday morning, the University of Wisconsin athletic department learned of a tragic automobile accident in Michigan involving assistant men’s basketball coach Howard Moore and his family. We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Howard’s wife, Jennifer, and their daughter Jaidyn. Howard and his son, Jerell, both suffered injuries but are expected to recover.

The Badgers athletics community is a tight-knit family and Howard has been a terrific ambassador for Wisconsin for nearly 30 years, dating back to days as a UW student athlete. Our hearts are with Howard and Jerell and we, as a community, will support and lift up the entire Moore and Barnes families.

“There are no words to describe how devastated we are for Howard and his family,” head coach Greg Gard said. “Our basketball program is an extremely close family and we are all grieving for the Moore and Barnes families. Howard is so much more than a colleague and coach. He and Jen and their children are dear friends to everyone they meet. Their positivity and energy lift up those around them. We will miss Jen and Jaidyn dearly and we will put our arms around Howard and Jerell and the entire family, giving them love and support during this unspeakable time.”

“I’ve known Howard ever since he was a student-athlete at Wisconsin and gotten to know his wonderful family through the years,” director of athletics Barry Alvarez said. “He has always been an incredible representative of our athletic department and a positive influence on everyone around him. We are truly heart-broken for his family and will be doing everything possible to help him through this tragic time. Our prayers, love and support go out to the Moore and Barnes family.”

The Michigan State Police also released details via their Twitter account:

According to multiple reports, Wisconsin assistant men’s basketball coach Howard Moore and his family were involved in a car accident, an incident that claimed the lives of Moore’s wife and daughter.

The Wisconsin State Journal’s Jim Polzin, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Jeff Potrykus, and WOZN’s Zach Heilprin all wrote articles on the unfortunate news on Saturday that Moore’s daughter, Jaidyn, and his wife, Jennifer, died as a result of the accident.

Both Polzin’s and Heilprin’s articles allude to an MLive.com article published Saturday that involves some details of a crash that is reportedly the one the Moore family was involved in:

Michigan State Police responded to the crash at 2:04 a.m., Saturday, May 25, in the area of M-14 and Ford Road, Lt. Darren Green said.

A vehicle, driven by a 23-year-old Ann Arbor woman, was heading west in the eastbound lanes of M-14 when she struck another vehicle with four people inside head-on, Green said. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, he said.

In the car she struck, a female child also was killed and pronounced dead at the scene, two others were critically injured and a male child suffered minor injuries, Green said.

A third vehicle, occupied by one person who is being treated for minor injuries, also was impacted in the crash, Green said.

Of note as of Saturday evening, the Michigan State Police have not officially released the identities of those involved in the crash yet to honor the family’s privacy. The state police’s official Twitter account later reported that the “adult female driver of the vehicle NOT at fault has been taken off of life support and has passed away.”

As reported by Potrykus, Wisconsin men’s basketball coach Greg Gard was expected to travel to Michigan to be with Moore.

A former Badger basketball player in the 1990s, Moore currently is in his second stint as a Wisconsin assistant since December 2015. He also worked under Bo Ryan as an assistant from 2005-10.

Players, college programs, coaches and media members all flooded social media on Saturday with messages of prayer and support after the reports surfaced:

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