TANGIPAHOA PARISH – A former NFL player and a woman were killed in a crash on US 51 in Tangipahoa Parish early Friday morning.

According to Louisiana State Police, the crash claimed the lives of 48-year-old Michael Dwayne Jackson Dyson and 20-year-old Destiny Alexus Gordon.

The crash occurred around 1 a.m. on US 51 as Dyson was riding a 2013 Kawasaki motorcycle northbound on US 51 at a high rate of speed and Gordon was driving a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. As Gordon was backing from a parking space, she backed across both lanes of US 51 into the path of Dyson's motorcycle. The motorcycle crashed into the driver's side door of the Malibu and it penetrated into the driver's compartment of the vehicle.

State Police say that both drivers were killed in the collision. Dyson was wearing a DOT-approved helmet and Gordon was wearing a seat belt.

Dyson played eight seasons in the NFL from 1991 to 1998 for the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens. 

The investigation is ongoing and blood samples will be examined by the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab for analysis.