The afterglow of a national championship in college football eventually fades and those who were celebrated now realize they still live in a fishbowl created by their success on the field.
Georgia’s All American defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who has been projected as a potential first pick overall in the NFL draft pick, found that out the hard way.
Athens Police secured arrest warrants for Carter stemming from his alleged involvement in a crash that killed a teammate and female staffer on Jan. 15.
The Athens-Clarke County PD said he has been charged with reckless driving and racing. In a warrant obtained by the AP, Carter was allegedly racing his jeep against the 2021 Ford Expedition driven by recruiting staffer, 24-year-old Chandler LeCroy that led to the wreck which occurred at 2:30 in the morning after a parade and celebration at Samford Stadium.
Carter was present at the scene of the fatal cash, drove away, and misled police about it afterwards. He first told police he was nearly a mile away in his apartment complex, then said he was behind the other vehicle, then said he was alongside the car when it crashed.
Georgia recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy was driving the car that crashed and teammate offensive lineman Devin Wlllock was a passenger. Both died. Another football staffer and another football player were injured.
Police questioned Carter about whether he was racing the other car, and Carter denied it.
The official story until now had been it was a single car accident caused by LeCroy driving too fast. It is not sure whether Carter could be in legal jeopardy based on the new information that his car was also at the scene.
But Carter was ticketed in September for driving 89 miles in a 45 mile per hour zone.
Carter is in Indianapolis for the NFL Combine as we write so he obviously feels no urgency to address the incident. He was scheduled to speak to reporters as part of a previously scheduled media availability, but a league spokesman said Carter would not be speaking to the media because he and five other players were still conducting physicals.
He needs to get his story straight.
Reckless driving and racing are both misdemeanors in Georgia. In a statement posted to social media later in the day, Carter said he intends to return to Athens, Ga. to “answer the misdemeanor charges against me and make certain that the complete and accurate truth is presented.”
Carter’s representatives told police they are making arrangements for Carter to turn himself in,” according to Shaun Barnett, a spokesman for the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. But Barnett said he didn’t know when that might be, but it likely won’t be until after his workouts.
Carter said in his statement he expected to be exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing.
“The evidence demonstrated that both vehicles switched between lanes, drove in the center turn lane, drove in opposite lanes of travel, overtook other motorists, and drove at high rates of sped, in an apparent attempt to outdistance each other,” according to the police statement. Police investigators have determined that “alcohol impairment, racing, reckless driving, and speed were significant contributing factors to the crash. A toxicology report indicated that LeCroy’s blood alcohol concentration was 191, – more than twice the legal limit in Georgia– at the time of the crash, according to police. The SUV driven by LeCroy was traveling about 104 miles per hour shortly before the crash.
What she was doing drinking and drag racing with a group of football players in the first place is another story.
There are also questions about what she was doing driving drunk in an SUV owned by the athletic department only to be used for recruiting activities, not personal use.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart called the charges deeply concerning while saying the program is ”struggling to cope with the loss of two beloved members of our community.”
Surveillance video reviewed by the Atlanta Journal Constitution showed three vehicles leaving the area simultaneously: Carter’s Jeff. LeCroy’s Ford and a 2019 Charger driven by Bulldogs linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson. Carter denied racing to the officer and police said there were no signs of the 310-pound lineman had been drinking. The crash occurred hours after the Bulldogs celebrated back-to-back national championships with a parade and ceremony at Sanford Stadium. Willock was pronounced dead at the scene. LeCroy died shortly after being taken to the hospital. Police investigators said the Ford driven by LeCroy failed to negotiate a left turn, left the roadway. It struck a Georgia power pole and another utility pole, slicing the poles in half before striking a tree on the rear passenger quarter panel. That sent the vehicle spinning in a clockwise direction before slamming into another tree on the driver’s side where LeCroy and Willock were sitting.
Offensive lineman Warren McClendon, who just announced plans to enter the draft, sustained minor injuries Football staffer Victoria Bowles was hospitalized with more serious injuries.
