On September 29, 2003, Snyder was critically injured after the Ferrari 360 Modena, being driven by his friend and teammate Dany Heatley, crashed. Heatley, who was driving between in a zone, lost control and skidded into a brick pillar and iron fence. Both players were ejected from the car, which was split in half by the force of the impact. Snyder required surgery to repair a depressed skull fracture and was comatose. Six days later on October 5, he lapsed into septic shock and died, never regaining consciousness. Heatley was charged with vehicular homicide as a result of the crash, a sentence that could have carried as much as 15 years in prison. He pleaded guilty to second-degree vehicular homicide, driving too fast for conditions, failure to maintain a lane, and speeding. He was sentenced to three years' probation and ordered to give 150 speeches on the dangers of speeding, and pay $25,000 to Fulton County for the cost of investigating the crash. The lighter sentence was due in part to Snyder's parents forgiving Heatley for the accident, their desire that he not be sent to prison, and the judge's opinion that Heatley being in prison would not benefit the community.