Richard Collier shot, faces "life-threatening" injuries

From Jacksonville Times Union online

A Jacksonville Jaguar is hospitalized with life-threatening injuries following a shooting incident early this morning.

Richard Collier, 27, an offensive tackle in his third year with the Jaguars, was shot at about 2:45 a.m. while sitting in a vehicle parked in the 2300 block of Riverside Avenue, said Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office spokesman Ken Jefferson.

Jefferson said Collier and former Jaguar Kenneth Pettway had been out clubbing in the San Marcos area when they met two females. The two men followed the women to Riverside near St. Vincent’s HealthCare, police said, with the plan to drop the females’ vehicle off and continue socializing in one vehicle.

While waiting outside the Riverside apartment, Jefferson said, someone walked up the vehicle and fired off a number of shots into the vehicle striking Collier, who was behind the wheel. Pettway was not injured in the attack.

Jefferson said it was unknown if there was one or multiple assailants. Authorities said they did not know of a motive for the shooting.

Jefferson said the two women “appeared shocked” by the shooting. He said authorities did not know if the two men were involved in any altercation or incident earlier in the night, or if the shooting was random and not connected to the two players personally.

Collier is listed by the Jaguars as a 6-7, 345-pound offensive tackle and was expected to play this season on special teams as well as on the offensive line.

Pettway, a backup linebacker, was released by the Jaguars on Saturday after several seasons with the team.

In November 2007, Collier was arrested by Jacksonville police for driving under the influence. He was suspended by the team for two games but signed a contract extension in May.

A professional scouting report on Collier, a Louisiana native, says of him: “Richard Collier is an enormous tackle that made the Jaguars roster as an undrafted free agent rookie in ‘06. Collier has nice feet and good strength.

“Strengths: Big, athletic. Collier looked fantastic last season in the preseason, and the team couldn’t leave him off the final roster in fear that he would likely get picked up by some other team. Weaknesses: Raw, inexperienced. Collier didn’t play at all on the offensive line in ‘06, so no one really knows how well he can play against top of the line defensive ends.”

Police said Jaguars officials have been contacted but have not released a statement yet.

Traffic along the 2300 block of Riverside was blocked off for several hours but police said as of 5 a.m., they are allowing traffic to pass through but are continuing to investigate the incident.