RIP.
A finalist who appeared on American Idol has passed away after a vehicle crash in the US.
23 year old Willie Spence died on Tuesday after hitting the rear end of a tractor-trailer which had been stopped on the hard shoulder near Chattanooga, Tennessee, the Tennessee Highway Patrol report stated.
Both drivers were said to be wearing seatbelts and the driver of the trailer was not injured, the crash report added.
Spence was originally from Georgia and finished in second place in the US singing competition last year, on season 19.
We are devastated about the passing of our beloved American Idol family member, Willie Spence. He was a true talent who lit up every room he entered and will be deeply missed. We send our condolences to his loved ones. pic.twitter.com/QWrWqf7qQN
— American Idol (@AmericanIdol) October 12, 2022
American Idol released a statement following his death, saying that Spence was “a true talent who lit up every room he entered”.
“We are devastated about the passing of our beloved American Idol family member, Willie Spence,” the statement said. “We send our condolences to his loved ones.”
Luke Bryan, who was a judge on the show during the time Spence was a contestant also added his condolences, saying that he “could change the mood instantly when he started singing”.
“He will truly be missed,” Bryan said on Twitter.
