Community Mourns Football Player In San Mateo After Fatal Highway Crash

SAN JOSE, CA — The College of San Mateo football community is mourning the death of a 19-year-old player who was killed in a Highway 101 crash early Sunday, with teammates remembering him as someone whose energy and kindness made an impact far beyond the field.

Ja’Marion “Pop” Grace, of Fairfield, was a freshman defensive back for the CSM Bulldogs, according to the team's social media post.

He was a passenger in a 2013 Ford Fusion that lost control on northbound Highway 101 near Yerba Buena Road around 2:06 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol. Grace was ejected and died from his injuries, police said.

The driver, a 19-year-old San Mateo man, suffered major injuries and was taken to a hospital, CHP said. CSM stated a third student-athlete was also injured and was recovering at home.

But for Grace’s teammates, the loss is about much more than what happened on the freeway.

“Pop wasn’t just a teammate — he was a brother,” the CSM football team wrote in a tribute posted Monday.

The team described Grace as someone who “lit up every room he walked into with his infectious energy and smile” and said he had a way of making everyone around him feel special.

“Whether he was dancing in the locker room, cracking jokes in team meetings, or showing up for his teammates off the field, Pop gave everything he had each and every day,” the team wrote.

The tribute ended with a message to Grace’s family and the broader CSM community, saying his “spirit — his energy, his love, his laugh” would remain part of the Bulldog family.

A GoFundMe organized for Grace’s family similarly described him as a son, grandson, brother and friend whose presence brought “love, laughter, warmth, and memories” to those who knew him.

“There are no words that can truly prepare a mother to bury her child,” the fundraiser states. “No mother should ever have to experience that kind of heartbreak.”

The fundraiser is seeking donations to help cover funeral expenses. It also asks for support for the family as they deal with the loss.

Grace had recently graduated from Vanden High School in Fairfield before beginning his college football career at CSM. He played in the Bulldogs’ 45-16 victory over Modesto Junior College on Saturday night, just hours before the crash, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

CSM's football program shared a separate graphic honoring Grace, featuring his No. 21 jersey and the words “In Loving Memory” alongside his name and the years 2007-2026.

CHP said it has not determined whether alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the San Jose CHP office at 408-961-0900.