Police have issued arrest warrants for former Georgia Bulldogs football star Jalen Carter stemming from his involvement in a fatal crash involving a teammate, according to ESPN. The Athens-Clarke County Police Department announced Wednesday that the defensive lineman will be arrested for reckless driving and racing. The announcement came after the Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported that Carter was at the scene of the car accident that killed a player and staff member. It was first reported that Devin Willock, an offensive lineman for the Bulldogs, and recruiting staff member Chandler LeCroy, died in a single-vehicle accident.
Police filed a misdemeanor street racing and reckless charges against Carter. It was revealed that the investigation cited evidence that Carter and LeCroy were “operating their vehicles in a manner consistent with racing” shortly before the crash.
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“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 speed, in an apparent attempt to outdistance each other,” the police statement said. 911 calls reviewed by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution said that at least two vehicles driven by Georgia football players had been at the scene, including the 2021 Jeep Trackhawk driven by Carter who left the scene before police or emergency personnel arrived. Carter first told the police that he heard the crash at a nearby apartment complex. But then told an officer that he had been driving both behind and beside the SUV driven by LeCroy.
Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart released a statement on the situation. “The charges announced are deeply concerning, especially as we are struggling to cope with the devastating loss of two beloved members of our community,” Smart said. “We will continue to cooperate fully with the authorities while supporting these families and assessing what he can learn from this horrible tragedy.”
According to Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN, Carter is the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft. The 21-year-old is coming off a college career where he helped the Bulldogs win back-to-back national championships. Carter had a breakout season in 2022, recording 32 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and three sacks. He was selected to the All-SEC First Team and named a unanimous All-American.
