James E Owens stood 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds on the Huntingdon College defensive line, yet teammates remember his kindness first. He recorded 20 tackles across 13 games in three seasons, according to team statistics. A Tuscaloosa native and junior defensive lineman, he died on November 10, 2025, at age 20.
Here’s a clear, respectful account of James E Owens, from his Northridge High School roots to his Hawks football career, his baptism, and the community tribute that followed. You’ll also find verified quick facts, a personal profile, and answers to common questions about his life and legacy. As of 2026, details beyond public reports remain limited, so you’ll see where information isn’t public.
James E Owens Early Life in Tuscaloosa
Every football story starts somewhere, and James E Owens began his in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. News reports from CBS 42 and the New York Post describe him as a Tuscaloosa native, and that hometown shaped both his athletic path and his community ties.
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Public records say little about his childhood or family background. His birth date, parents’ names, and siblings haven’t appeared in verified reporting, and this profile won’t guess at them. You’ll see those fields marked as not publicly disclosed in the personal information section.
What’s clear is the timeline. He was 20 years old when he died on November 10, 2025, which places his birth around 2004 or 2005. That means he grew up in Tuscaloosa County during years when college football filled local conversation, so the sport was never far from daily life.
Quick Facts About James E Owens
You want the essentials fast, so here they are. This table gathers what Huntingdon College, ALEA, and local news outlets confirmed about James E Owens Jr., and it marks every detail that hasn’t been made public.
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | James E. Owens Jr. (middle name not publicly disclosed) |
| Nickname | Not publicly disclosed |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of Birth | Not publicly disclosed (around 2004 or 2005) |
| Age (as of 2026) | Died at age 20 on November 10, 2025 |
| Birthplace | Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
| Hometown | Tuscaloosa, Alabama |
| Current Residence | Not applicable (lived in Tuscaloosa and Montgomery as a student) |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Not publicly disclosed |
| Religion | Christian (baptized in 2025 at Huntingdon College) |
| Education / Degree | Junior at Huntingdon College; Northridge High School graduate |
| Profession | College football defensive lineman and student-athlete |
| Languages Spoken | English |
| Hobbies & Interests | Football, faith, and team life |
| Marital Status | Not publicly disclosed |
| Spouse / Partner | Not publicly disclosed |
| Children | Not publicly disclosed |
| Father’s Name | Not publicly disclosed |
| Mother’s Name | Not publicly disclosed |
| Siblings | Not publicly disclosed |
Northridge High School Football Days in Tuscaloosa
Northridge High School gave James E Owens his first real stage. According to CBS 42, he played football there before heading to Montgomery for college.
The school sits in Tuscaloosa, so he stayed close to home through his prep career. Detailed high school statistics, honors, and college recruiting rankings aren’t available in the sources reviewed, and this profile won’t invent them. What you can say is that his high school program led directly to a college roster spot.
The school later became the site of his tribute. A balloon release took place on the Northridge football field on a Sunday afternoon after the crash, and supporters wore Huntingdon red and white. As a result, the field where he once played became the place where his hometown said goodbye.
Joining Huntingdon College Hawks in Montgomery
Montgomery became a second home when James E Owens joined Huntingdon College, a small private school that competes in NCAA Division III. He played for the Hawks football team and reached junior standing in 2025.
Division III schools don’t offer athletic scholarships, so student-athletes treat classwork and football as equal commitments. That setting fits the student-athlete portrait his college painted: a young man who represented the school well on and off the field. He practiced at Charles Lee Field on campus.
Head coach Mike Turk led the program during his time there. Tributes came from teammates, coaches, classmates, and the college chaplain, and each one pointed to the same qualities of respect, integrity, and kindness.
Defensive Line Role and 2025 Season Stats
Defensive linemen rarely grab headlines, yet they set the tone at the line of scrimmage. James E Owens filled that job at 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds, a frame built for trench play and gap control.
Through six games in 2025, team statistics credited him with 12 tackles, according to local reporting. That total outpaced his first two seasons combined, which added up to eight. In other words, his junior year marked a clear step forward.
His season was still in progress when he died. The Hawks had just played Southern Virginia that weekend, and a trip to Belhaven was set for the following Saturday. As a result, his final stat line reflects an unfinished campaign rather than a complete one.
Three-Year Hawks Career and Tackle Totals
Numbers tell part of a career, though never all of it. Across three seasons, James E Owens Jr. appeared in 13 games and recorded 20 tackles, per team statistics reported by local outlets.
That works out to roughly 1.5 tackles per game, a respectable figure for an interior lineman who often absorbs blocks so teammates can make plays. Linemen like him frequently do thankless work that never reaches a box score.
His coach and school stressed character over statistics. The college called him a great representative on and off the field. That said, the stat line gives you a fair snapshot of a defensive lineman who was gaining ground each year.
Baptism and Faith at Huntingdon College
Faith marked the last chapter of his story. James E Owens was baptized shortly before he died, and reports place the baptism around the start of the 2025 season.
The college chaplain and dean of the chapel, Rhett Butler, performed the baptism following a football practice at Charles Lee Field. Huntingdon has a long United Methodist heritage, so campus ministry plays a visible role in student life.
Butler later said that among everyone he’d baptized, none seemed more certain than James. That sentiment appeared in the college’s tribute and in reports from People, the New York Post, and WBRC. For many readers, it’s the detail that stays with them most.
James E Owens Personality and Teammate Tributes
People remember James E Owens for how he treated others. Huntingdon’s statement called him a “towering presence of kindness” and added that he carried himself with respect, integrity, and kindness throughout his time as a Hawk.
Head coach Mike Turk told WSFA 12 News that the team needed each other that week. He said the Hawks would keep preparing for their next game, as James would have wanted. That decision turned grief into a shared team commitment.
The Hawks football program also posted a tribute on social media. Together, these messages describe a teammate who earned trust in the locker room and a student who represented his school well.
Crash on US 82 and ALEA Investigation
The news broke early on a Monday morning. At about 5:35 a.m. on November 10, 2025, a head-on collision happened on U.S. 82, roughly two miles west of Maplesville in Chilton County, Alabama.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said James E Owens Jr. was driving a 2019 Chevrolet Camaro when it struck a 2016 Toyota Tundra driven by Justin E. Carlee, 42, of Maplesville. Both men died at the scene.
The ALEA Highway Patrol Division investigated the crash. In the early reports reviewed, no cause was released. Without official findings, speculation does a disservice to both families, so this profile sticks to confirmed details.
Balloon Release and Celebration of Life
Grief turned into gathering within days. On the Sunday after the crash, friends, family, and supporters met at the Northridge High School football field at 1 p.m. for a balloon release in his memory.
Many guests wore Huntingdon red and white, the colors he wore as a Hawk. Reports from ABC 33/40 and WBRC covered the event, which honored the life and legacy of James E Owens.
Huntingdon also announced a celebration of life, and early reports noted that funeral arrangements were still pending. If you’re looking for service details, check the college’s official channels and local funeral home notices, since schedules and venues are best confirmed at the source.
James E Owens Legacy at Huntingdon Football
Legacy isn’t only about records. For James E Owens, it’s about the way people describe him: kind, respectful, and sure of his faith.
His three seasons gave the Hawks a steady presence on the defensive line, and his final year showed real growth. Beyond the field, his baptism and his tributes show a young man whose character left a lasting mark on Huntingdon College and on Tuscaloosa.
As of 2026, his story still circulates through news coverage and community memory. That said, the best way to honor him is to share accurate facts and to remember him for the qualities his school and teammates named.
Personal Information of James E Owens
Here’s the personal profile of James E Owens, built only from verified reporting. Where facts haven’t been made public, the entry says so plainly.
Full Name
James E Owens’s full name is James E. Owens Jr., and his middle name isn’t publicly disclosed.
Date of Birth
James E Owens was born on a date that hasn’t been publicly disclosed, likely in 2004 or 2005.
Age
He died at age 20 on November 10, 2025, so he would be 20 or 21 years old as of 2026.
Birthplace
James E Owens was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Nationality
James E Owens held American nationality.
Ethnicity
James E Owens’s ethnicity isn’t publicly disclosed.
Religion
James E Owens followed Christianity and was baptized in 2025.
Education
James E Owens completed high school at Northridge High School and reached junior standing at Huntingdon College.
Hobbies
James E Owens enjoyed football and team life with the Huntingdon Hawks.
Marital Status
James E Owens’s marital status isn’t publicly disclosed.
Spouse or Partner
No spouse or partner has been publicly disclosed for James E Owens.
Children
No children have been publicly disclosed for James E Owens.
Parents
James E Owens’s parents haven’t been named in verified public reporting.
Siblings
No siblings have been publicly disclosed for James E Owens.
Physical Appearance
Team records list his size, but little else about his looks is public. The entries below show the confirmed numbers and flag everything else.
Height
James E Owens stood at 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm).
Weight
James E Owens weighed approximately 107 kg (235 lbs).
Eye Color
James E Owens’s eye color isn’t publicly disclosed.
Hair Color
James E Owens’s hair color isn’t publicly disclosed.
Body Type
James E Owens had a large, athletic frame typical of a defensive lineman, based on his listed size.
Skin Tone
James E Owens’s skin tone isn’t publicly disclosed.
Shoe Size
James E Owens’s shoe size isn’t publicly disclosed.
Tattoos
No public information confirms whether James E Owens had tattoos.
Piercings
No public information confirms whether James E Owens had piercings.
Distinctive Features
James E Owens was known for his towering presence and his reputation for kindness.
Social Media Profiles
No personal accounts for James E Owens have been publicly verified, but tributes to him appeared on the Huntingdon football program’s Instagram and Facebook pages.
Huntingdon Hawks football program account (no personal handle publicly confirmed)
Huntingdon College Athletics page (no personal profile publicly confirmed)
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was James E Owens Jr.?
James E Owens Jr. was a 20-year-old junior defensive lineman at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama. A Tuscaloosa native and Northridge High School graduate, he played for the Hawks for three seasons. He died in a head-on collision on November 10, 2025, and his school remembered him for kindness.
How old was James E Owens when he died?
He was 20 years old. James E Owens died on November 10, 2025, in a crash on U.S. 82 in Chilton County, Alabama. His exact birth date hasn’t been publicly released, so his age comes from what ALEA and Huntingdon College reported.
Where was James E Owens from?
He was a Tuscaloosa, Alabama native. He played football at Northridge High School in Tuscaloosa before moving to Montgomery to attend Huntingdon College, where he studied and played defensive line for the Hawks until his death in November 2025.
What position did James E Owens play?
He played defensive line for the Huntingdon Hawks. Team listings show him at 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds. Across three seasons he recorded 20 tackles in 13 games, including 12 tackles in six games during the 2025 season.
Which college did James E Owens attend?
He attended Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama, a private NCAA Division III school. He reached junior standing in 2025 and played football under head coach Mike Turk. The college released a public tribute after his death.
How did James E Owens die?
He died in a head-on collision around 5:35 a.m. on November 10, 2025, on U.S. 82 near Maplesville. His Chevrolet Camaro struck a Toyota Tundra. Both drivers died at the scene, and the ALEA Highway Patrol Division investigated.
Who else died in the crash?
Justin E. Carlee, 42, of Maplesville drove the Toyota Tundra and died at the scene. ALEA identified both men. Early reports didn’t state a cause, so you shouldn’t assign blame without official investigative findings.
Was the cause of the crash released?
Early reports from November 2025 said ALEA’s investigation was ongoing and published no cause. Because those reports can’t establish fault, rely on official ALEA updates rather than social media claims for anything further.
Was James E Owens recently baptized?
Yes. Huntingdon chaplain Rhett Butler baptized him after a football practice at Charles Lee Field, shortly before his death. Reports place it near the start of the 2025 season. The chaplain said no one he’d baptized seemed more certain.
How did the community honor him?
Supporters held a balloon release at the Northridge High School football field on the Sunday after the crash, many wearing Huntingdon red and white. Huntingdon also scheduled a celebration of life, and the Hawks kept preparing for their next game.
Conclusion
James E Owens was a 20-year-old defensive lineman who left a larger mark than his tackle totals suggest. The verified record shows a Tuscaloosa native, a three-season Huntingdon Hawk, a recent baptism, and a school community that described him with words like respect, integrity, and kindness.
The confirmed facts are limited, and that’s worth remembering. Details such as his birth date, family members, and the official cause of the crash weren’t public in the reporting reviewed. Treat anything beyond those reports with caution. Respect for both families always matters more than speculation.
If you came looking for accurate information about James E Owens, you now have it in one place. Your best next step is to check Huntingdon College’s official channels and ALEA statements for updates, and to share only verified details when you talk about him. That approach honors both his memory and the families affected by the tragedy.
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