Jalen Carter, a former Georgia standout and one of the top prospects in next month’s NFL draft, has been charged with speeding and reckless driving in connection with a collision that claimed the lives of a teammate and a member of the recruiting team.
Looks like its being insinuated according to a warrant for Carter’s arrest issued by the Athens-Clarke County (Georgia) Police Department and obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday, the Jan. 15 collision was caused by Carter racing his 2021 Jeep Trackhawk against the 2021 Ford Expedition being operated by recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy, 24.
The announcement came hours after The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Carter was present at the scene of the crash and later provided shifting accounts of the wreck to police.
LeCroy and offensive lineman for the Bulldogs Devin Willock were killed in what the authorities at first believed to be a single-vehicle collision.
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During the NFL scouting combine, Carter is in Indianapolis. He was supposed to address the media as part of an earlier media availability, but a league representative subsequently informed the media that Carter wouldn’t be appearing on Wednesday because he and five other players were still getting physicals.
In Georgia, reckless driving and racing are both considered misdemeanors. According to Lt. Shaun Barnett of the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, Carter is anticipated to handle the arrest warrant when he returns to Athens.
“It is my understanding that Mr. Carter is making arrangements to turn himself in,” Barnett said in an e-mail to the Associated Press.
Details of the investigation, released Wednesday, cited evidence that Carter and LeCroy were “operating their vehicles in a manner consistent with racing” shortly before the crash.
“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.
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 .197 — more than twice the legal limit in Georgia — at the time of the crash, according to police.
The SUV driven by LeCroy was travelling at about 104 mph shortly before the 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,” Georgia coach Kirby 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.”
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