Ex-Giant Uribe killed in crash in Dominican Republic

Updated: Dec. 8, 2006, 2:41 PM ET
Associated Press

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- Former San Francisco Giants shortstop Jose Uribe was killed early Friday in a car crash in his native Dominican Republic.

The Dominican National Police said the 47-year-old Uribe's sport utility vehicle crashed about 3 a.m. on a highway about 30 miles west of the capital, Santo Domingo. Police said the cause of the crash was under investigation.

Jose Uribe owned a hardware store in his hometown of Juan Baron in recent years, and ran unsuccessfully for mayor. Police said he was driving to his hometown, in San Cristobal province, at the time of the crash.

Sgt. Major Juan Quezada de los Santos of the National Police said Uribe, who wasn't wearing a seat belt, died at the scene of the crash on a mountainous road along the country's southern coast. Quezada said a passenger in the SUV was uninjured.

Uribe's death was confirmed by Glovis Reyes, a longtime friend of the ballplayer and a former member of the Dominican Congress.

"Uribe was a very loved person in Juan Baron. He was like the lord of the town," Reyes said.

Uribe played 10 seasons in the major leagues from 1984 to 1993, mostly with the Giants. He began his career with one season in St. Louis, when he was known as Jose Gonzalez Uribe, and ended it with one in Houston. He had a career batting average of .241 and a fielding percentage of .969.