How did Monty Williams' wife die? Driver who killed Ingrid in crash had meth in system
After that crushing 105-98 defeat suffered by the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, coach Monty Williams spoke at length about how he "wanted it so bad". As one of the more liked coaches of basketball, Williams needs no introduction. From assistant coach to vice president of basketball operations — Williams has played several esteemed roles after his own career as a professional player for five different NBA teams. But in his illustrious journey that saw him entertain and wow the court consistently from 1994 to 2003, Williams is no stranger to devastating losses either. The most tragic of them perhaps was the sudden, untimely death of his wife Ingrid, who died five years ago, in 2016.
Monty and Ingrid Williams were married for more than 20 years, sharing five children in that span, whose ages ranged from 17 to 5 at the time of her death. Monty was in his first season as an assistant coach with the Oklahoma City Thunder when his wife died. His speech at her funeral attended by the huge crowd of people who adored the Williams, saw Monty cheer for his all-conquering wife, reminding people that forgiveness is the key, asking them to remember there were two lives lost the day Ingrid died.
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How did Ingrid Williams die?
On February 9, 2016, Monty Williams' wife Ingrid was involved in a car crash. The accident took place in Oklahoma City and saw Ingrid's car struck head-on by a vehicle, whose driver had lost control and ended up crossing lanes. Ingrid died the next day, on Wednesday, February 10, at the age of 44.
Sports Illustrated wrote an in-depth piece detailing the morning before the crash and described how Ingrid was busy the entire time being a supermom — driving from daycare to high schools to basketball practices and whatnot, with her five children in tow. Doctors' appointments, church and her volunteer center for inner-city kids were among her regular stops too. So when Ingrid didn't call Monty after picking up their daughter Faith from her basketball game, it didn't strike him as odd.
It was only when Faith called her sister Lael, who was at home watching TV around Monty, that he noticed his eldest child's face fall. According to the police, shortly after 8 pm that night, Ingrid was driving north on a four-lane road in downtown Oklahoma City. She was in the family’s SUV with three kids: Faith, then 15; Janna, 13; and Micah, when a sedan driven by a 52-year-old woman named Susannah Donaldson dashed in their direction.
The crash that killed Ingrid Williams
Toxicology reports showed Donaldson had a substantial amount of methamphetamine in her system, and police believe a dog might have been on her lap at the time of the accident. Still in the left lane, going more than twice the posted limit of 40, Donaldson allegedly swerved to avoid the car in front of her, and that sent her vehicle across the centerline. This caused a head-on impact with Ingrid's SUV and both Donaldson and her dog are believed to have died on the spot.
The Williams were rushed to a hospital and Monty considered himself lucky all the children were fine. He was hopeful about his beloved wife Ingrid too, writes the outlet, but on the afternoon of February 10, Ingrid succumbed to her injuries. Ingrid's parents, along with Monty's, as well as his pastor, were a big part of the immediate comfort the family was offered, and in the coming days as they coped with the tragic loss of a mother who's been written about like a Superhero in newspapers.
It took Monty years to move on, but the head coach reportedly met his current wife, Lisa Keeth, Senior Manager of partnership activation for the NBA team San Antonia Spurs, later in 2016 and the two sparked a romance. The two are reported to have finally tied the knot years after meeting, sometime in 2021 or in the recent past.