Brother of Knicks’ Amare Stoudemire dies in car crash

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LAKE WALES, Fla. — Officials say the brother of New York Knicks player Amare Stoudemire has died in a car crash.

A Florida Highway Patrol report says Hazell Stoudemire was driving an SUV that crashed into the back of a trailer being towed by a truck early Monday morning. He had been driving on a highway in the heart of Florida’s citrus country. The report says Hazell Stoudemire, who lived in Lakeland, Fla., was not wearing a seat belt and died at the scene.

Authorities are still investigating the crash and awaiting test results to find out if alcohol was a factor.

Amare Stoudemire has returned to Florida to be with his family and was going to miss Monday night’s game against Utah. Knicks spokesman Jonathan Supranowitz says he doesn’t know how long Stoudemire will be away.