EUGENE — Fifteen minutes before Oregon defensive back Daylen Austin allegedly struck and killed a pedestrian in Eugene last month, a man fitting the description of the victim — whom police identified on Wednesday as 46-year-old Frank William Seaman — threw a baseball-sized object at a white SUV matching the description of Austin’s vehicle.
The westbound SUV immediately slowed down, according to surveillance camera footage The Oregonian/OregonLive viewed from the night of April 15. A man believed to be Seaman then crossed to the north side of West Sixth Avenue, pointing and appearing to be yelling at other vehicles as they passed.
Seaman was struck and killed April 15 near the intersection of West Fourth Avenue and Polk Street in the Whiteaker area shortly after 9 p.m., according to Eugene police. Austin is accused of the felony of failing to perform the duties of a driver when another person is injured.
A source with knowledge of the incident provided The Oregonian/OregonLive with law enforcement documents that say a hammer was found on the street near Seaman when police arrived at the scene, where a blue grocery bag was found with other hand tools inside. The source requested anonymity due to the ongoing investigation.
One account from law enforcement also said Austin told police he was “being menaced with a hammer” by Seaman, who he claimed jumped in front of his SUV.Seaman, whom police identified as homeless, had multiple convictions for driving under the influence of intoxicants, from 1997 to 2010, when he was convicted of first-degree burglary. In 2022, he pleaded guilty to stealing from a Lincoln County liquor store, Safeway and Walmart and was sentenced to five years of probation.
Seaman’s criminal history, according to court records, dates back to 1995 and shows he faced more than 30 cases in seven different counties across the state as well as 47 charges in Eugene since December 2019, according to municipal court records.
The sophomore did not participate in Oregon’s seven spring practices following the incident, including the spring game on April 27
On April 21, Oregon coach Dan Lanning declined to specify Austin’s status with the program, but said, “I know Daylen’s character and I think there’s a lot of details that will continue to play out.”
