ST. LOUIS (AP) -Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock was involved in a minor auto accident early Thursday, only three days before his fatal wreck.
Police in Sauget, Ill., a small town just across the river from St. Louis, said Hancock was at a stop sign at about 5:30 a.m. when a tractor-trailer clipped the front of his sport utility vehicle. No charges were filed in the accident.
Police in St. Louis said Hancock was driving a rental SUV when he fatally crashed into a flatbed tow truck early Sunday.
Hancock, 29, showed up late to Busch Stadium for Thursday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds, which started at 12:10 p.m. He said he thought the gametime was later and had overslept in a new bed.
A memorial service for Hancock has been set for Thursday in Tupelo, Miss. The Cardinals are chartering a plane that will get them there in time for a lunch with the Hancock family. An overflow crowd is expected for the service.
A private funeral for the family is being held Wednesday.
Katie Hancock, Josh Hancock’s younger sister, is expected to speak during the service. A representative from the Cardinals, either manager Tony La Russa or a player, also is scheduled to speak.
Hancock was born in Cleveland, Miss., and went to high school in Alabama. In 1997, his only season at Auburn, Hancock helped the school advance to the College World Series.
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