PADUCAH, Ky. (WKRN) – Two days after being reported missing by his wife, former Vanderbilt University basketball star Joe Ford Jr. was found dead in his crashed car.
The McCracken County Sheriff’s Office said they received a call around 9:20 a.m. of tire tracks leading into a wooded area on Interstate 24 near the Clarks River.
A deputy responded and found a crashed GMC Arcadia that had left the roadway and gone down a large embankment, overturned, and struck several trees. The SUV was not visible from the interstate as it is an area that is over gown with trees and brush.
The driver, later identified as Ford, was found dead on the scene.
The 64-year-old was reported missing by his wife Tuesday after he left for the day that morning and never returned.
According to the sheriff’s office, the cause of the crash is still under investigation but it would appear that the accident occurred on Tuesday.
An autopsy will be performed tomorrow by the state medical examiner’s office.
Ford was a member of the F-Troop, which also included players Butch Feher and Jeff Fosnes. The troop is known as the driving force of the Commodores basketball team in the mid 1970s, leading the school to both the SEC championship and NCAA Tournament.
