Cleveland Browns Player's Girlfriend Killed in Front of Him

The girlfriend of Cleveland Browns defensive end Chris Smith was hit and killed by a car early Wednesday—less than a month after she gave birth to their daughter. The team says 26-year-old Petra Cordero died in front of Smith after a tire in the Lamborghini he was driving blew out on I-90 West in Cleveland, People reports. Cordero got out of the car uninjured after it spun and hit the median but was then killed by an oncoming Mazda. Police say the driver of the Mazda admitted she had been drinking. A toxicology report is pending and no charges have been filed yet, CNN reports. Police say Smith was not impaired.

Smith, 27, shared a photo of Cordero and their daughter, Haven Harris Smith, in an Aug. 27 Instagram post. "Words cannot describe the sorrow we feel for Chris following the loss of his girlfriend, Petara," team owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement on the team's website. "Our entire organization mourns with Chris, his family, and the Cordero family. We will do everything possible to offer them our support, comfort, and any resources in this most difficult time." Coach Freddie Kitchens visited Smith at his home Wednesday. The player "will have the opportunity to grieve as he sees best fit, including being excused from or participating in any team activities, if desired," the team says. (More Cleveland Browns stories.)