Georgia police obtained arrest warrants for Jalen Carter, a defensive standout for the national champion Georgia Bulldogs and a projected top five pick in the NFL Draft, linked to a crash in January that killed two people, including the Carter’s former partner.
Carter, 21, will be arrested for alleged reckless driving and racing, according to a statement released Wednesday by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department.
Authorities said that on January 15, former University of Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy, 24, died after a crash that occurred around 2:30 a.m. on January 15. from January.
Police said Wednesday that Carter was behind the wheel of a 2021 Jeep Trackhawk, when he was competing with LeCroy, who was driving a 2021 Ford Expedition.
“Evidence showed that both vehicles changed lanes, drove in the center turn lane, drove in opposite lanes, passed other motorists, and drove at high speeds in an apparent attempt to outrun others,” police said.
Shortly before the crash, the Expedition reached 104 mph, police said, and LeCroy’s blood alcohol content was .197 «at the time of the crash.»
«Investigators determined that alcohol intoxication, racing, reckless driving, and speed were significant contributing factors to the accident,» police said.
The case will be turned over to the Attorney General’s Office, police said.
Carter could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.
Georgia Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart won his second straight national championship when they defeated Texas Christian University 65-7 in January.
Smart said in a statement on Wednesday: «The charges announced today are deeply troubling, especially as we are still struggling to cope with the devastating loss of two beloved members of our community.»
He added: «We will continue to fully cooperate with authorities as we support these families and assess what we can learn from this horrific tragedy.»
The accident occurred less than two miles from the university campus. A few hours earlier, the Bulldogs held a parade through town and a ceremony at Sanford Stadium in honor of their championship.
Authorities have said that other people were on the Expedition with LeCroy during the crash, including offensive lineman Warren McClendon, who had announced his intentions to enter the NFL Draft. McClendon was wearing a shoulder and lap seat belt while he sat in the right front passenger seat, police said. He only suffered minor injuries.
Willock was not wearing a seatbelt during the crash, police said.
Another Georgia soccer staff member, Victoria Bowles, was hospitalized with multiple serious injuries. She was sitting in the back seat with Willock and was not wearing a seatbelt, police said.
Police said the Expedition «was unable to negotiate a left-hand curve, which caused the vehicle to strike the curb with the front-passenger tire and run off the road on the west shoulder.»
The SUV struck a Georgia Power pole and another utility pole, cutting them in half, before crashing into a tree in the passenger rear panel. That caused the vehicle to spin clockwise before hitting another tree on the driver’s side, where both LeCroy and Willock were sitting, police said.
juliet arcodia contributed.