Deerfield Beach football player dead, another clinging to life after car accident on prom night | Miami Herald

Deerfield Beach football coach Jevon Glenn knows when his phone rings after midnight it’s usually not a good thing.

He received one of those dreaded phone calls early Sunday morning and less than 48 hours later the Bucks’ football family is mourning the death of 19-year-old receiver Taletrius Bradley and praying 17-year-old Demetrius Palmer, a standout cornerback, survives the horrific single-car accident both teens were involved in during the weekend off State Road 7 and Sunrise Boulevard.

Bradley, who was set to graduate from Deerfield Beach later this week, died Tuesday morning from brain injuries. Glenn said Palmer remains in critical condition at Broward Health Medical Center.

Glenn said the teens were ejected from the front seat of a 2017 red Chevy Corvette Bradley’s mother had rented her son last weekend so he could attend Plantation High’s prom in style. Bradley was behind the wheel when he lost control of the vehicle.

“TJ was just a great young man who had some obstacles earlier in his life and was taking all the necessary steps to overcome it,” said Glenn, who has been with the family at the hospital since the accident. “He was getting ready to graduate this week and go off to college next month. It’s really hard to see life kind of be snatched away really at the beginning for him.”

Glenn said Bradley had recently received the necessary test scores he needed to qualify for a football scholarship. His backup plan, Glenn said, was to attend the University of Tampa.

“He was going to be a late signee,” Glenn said. “He had options.”

Palmer, a starter on the Bucks’ state semifinal team last season, was just beginning to receive scholarship offers from schools like as Morgan State and Virginia Union.

Glenn said Bradley dropped off his prom date and picked Palmer up shortly before the accident.

“He’s still in critical condition,” Glenn said of Palmer. “We’re not in the clear yet, but he’s showing signs of progress. He’s got some head injuries, but they’re continuing to do brain scans and so far they’ve been coming back good. But obviously with all the swelling and things they’re going to keep him sedated so they can keep monitoring him.

“I could just tell from the wreck site, the car and just where Demetrius landed — how far away from the car — I knew it was bad.”

Assistant coaches and teammates said both players were full of life and loved to entertain others. Palmer was videotaped many times dancing on the sidelines.