DULUTH, Ga. (AP) - All-Star Dany Heatley was charged yesterday
with vehicular homicide after the death of Atlanta Thrashers
teammate Dan Snyder, who was fatally injured when Heatley's sports
car ran off a road.

A spokesman for the district attorney's office, Erik Friedly,
said the charge was based on a preliminary finding that Heatley was
driving recklessly. It carries a prison sentence of three to 15
years.

Snyder died Sunday night at Grady Hospital, six days after
sustaining severe brain injuries in the wreck. He was 25.

"The news of his passing fills all of us with an overwhelming
sense of sorrow," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said.

Atlanta general manager Don Waddell said that team officials
held internal discussions about possibly delaying Thursday night's
season opener but that the Snyder family persuaded them to
play.

"When I talked to the Snyder family, they really expressed their
concern for the team and how we move forward," Waddell said at a
news conference at the team's headquarters in suburban Atlanta.
"They really felt the team needed to play."

The Thrashers weren't scheduled to practice again until Tuesday
morning. They open the season against the Columbus Blue
Jackets.

Heatley already had been charged with serious injury by vehicle,
but that charge was dropped after the vehicular homicide count was
filed. He also still faces four misdemeanor counts, each of which
are punishable by up to a year in prison. He is free on $50,000
bond.

"We are overwhelmingly saddened and distraught over this tragic
loss," the Heatley family said in a statement released by the
Thrashers. "Dan was a genuine and caring individual, and a
tremendous friend to us all.

"Our deepest sympathies and compassion go out to his parents and
their entire family."

Police said Heatley was driving his Ferrari at about 80 mph on a
narrow two-lane road Sept. 29 when he lost control, spun off the
road and smashed into a brick-and-wrought-iron fence.

Snyder, who was a passenger in the car, underwent surgery for a
skull fracture but remained in a coma until his death. He was
thought to be improving, though.

"We all were hoping for the best result," Waddell said. "We
thought he was making good progress. He was battling, the same way
he did on the ice."