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NEED TO KNOW
- Darcy Connolly-Brunner, the mother of former WNBA and Arizona State University basketball player Sophie Brunner, died at 61
- She was killed in a head-on collision in Orangeville, Ill.
- Police are still investigating the cause of the crash
The mother of former Phoenix Mercury and Arizona State University basketball player Sophie Brunner died in a head-on collision in Illinois on Saturday, Aug. 9.
Darcy Connolly-Brunner was 61 at the time of her death. TMZ was first to report the news.
In a statement shared on social media, the Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that they responded to the crash at approximately 12:38 p.m. The fatal crash occurred in Orangeville, Ill. PEOPLE has reached out to the SCSO for comment.
The head-on collision took place on Illinois Route 26 North near Oneco Road. Police confirmed that a Nissan Altima, driven by Rolando Ico-Choc, was traveling southbound on Illinois Route 26 North when it allegedly entered the northbound lane, colliding with Connolly-Brunner. Ico-Choc, 30, survived the crash.
“As part of the investigation, deputies are examining whether alcohol impairment by Mr. Ico-Choc may have been a contributing factor in the crash,” SCSO said in the press release. “There is no indication that Ms. Connolly-Brunner was impaired.”
Darcy Brunner Facebook
The SCSO revealed, “Toxicology testing will be conducted as part of the autopsy process, and results may take several weeks to be returned.”
The Orangeville Fire Department, Winslow Fire Department, Cedarville Fire Protection District, Leamon’s Ambulance Service, the Stephenson County Coroner’s Office, and the Illinois State Police Traffic Crash Reconstruction Unit all contributed to the emergency response efforts.
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Brunner is a former basketball star from Freeport, Ill., who led the Aquin High School women’s basketball team to several state titles in her junior and senior years, per TMZ. She played forward for ASU and was named First Team All-PAC-12 three times (2015-2017) and led the Sun Devils to the NCAA Tournament each season. In 2017, the Mercury signed her as a free agent and traded her to the San Antonio Stars before the end of the season.
She went on to play pro ball in Italy and coach students at Rockford Christian Schools.
