An arrest warrant has been issued for former Georgia defensive tackle and potential No. 1 pick Jalen Carter, who has been charged with racing and reckless driving involving a crash that killed former UGA teammate Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy.
Videos by FanBuzz
Carter has given police conflicting accounts of his involvement since the Jan. 15 fatal accident, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He first told police he was a mile away at the time of the crash before later saying he was following the car, and at one point he said he was alongside the other car, according to reports.
An investigation by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department found that LeCroy was driving a 2021 Ford Expedition about 104 mph while Carter was driving a 2021 Jeep Trackhawk in a "manner consistent with racing" at 2:45 a.m. LeCroy's blood alcohol concentration was .197, more than two times the legal limit in Georgia, police said. Just a few hours earlier, the team celebrated back-to-back national titles with a parade in Athens.
Jalen Carter is subject of arrest warrant in Athens after being implicated by police for racing in the crash that took the life of former teammate, and UGA staffer. pic.twitter.com/2TC0DS40sO
— Seth Emerson (@SethWEmerson) March 1, 2023
Two other people were in the car with the 24-year-old LeCroy and 20-year-old Willock. They were former Georgia offensive lineman Warren McClendon, who declared for the 2023 NFL Draft, and UGA staffer Victoria Bowles. Both survived. McClendon sustained minor injuries, while Bowles sustained serious injuries that required hospitalization.
Carter's charges of racing and reckless driving are both misdemeanors in Georgia, carrying penalties of up to one year in jail or a maximum $1,000 fine. Representatives for Carter told police he was "making arrangements" to turn himself in, according to ESPN.
In a statement he released Wednesday afternoon, Carter said he intends to "make certain that the complete and accurate truth is presented" and expects to be "fully exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing."
Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Carter is considered one of the best prospects in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft. He's ranked No. 1 among all draft prospects by NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah, who calls him a "highly disruptive player with the versatility to line up at any position along the defensive front."
Defensive linemen and linebackers are scheduled to work out at the NFL Scouting Combine on Thursday. Carter is in Indianapolis for the combine and was scheduled to talk to reporters on Wednesday, but a league spokesperson later said that wasn't happening because he was still conducting a physical.
Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart released a statement Wednesday morning regarding Carter's involvement in the fatal crash.
"The charges announced today are deeply concerning, especially as we are still struggling to cope with the devastating loss of two beloved members of our community," Smart said in a statement. "We will continue to cooperate fully with the authorities while supporting these families and assessing what we can learn from this horrible tragedy."
A statement from #Georgia HC Kirby Smart on Jalen Carter’s legal situation pic.twitter.com/GaWGR0qOb1
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 1, 2023
