American Idol season 19 runner-up Willie Spence died in a car accident on Tuesday, March 26, at around 4 p.m. in Marion County, Tennessee. He was 23.
According to authorities and NBC News, a 2019 Jeep Cherokee was found to have left the roadway and hit the back of a tractor-trailer stopped on the shoulder east of Interstate 24 at the 147-mile marker.
Spence and the driver of the tractor-trailer were wearing seat belts reports NBC News.
NBC News went on to say that Marion County Medical Examiner Barbara O’Neal said the cause of death was “multisystem trauma due to motor vehicle accident” and that Spence was pronounced dead at the scene.
American Idol’s Twitter page said “We are devastated about the passing of our beloved American Idol family member, Willie Spence. He was a true talent who lit up every room he entered and will be deeply missed. We send our condolences to his loved ones.”