The Athens-Clarke County (Ga.) Police Department secured arrest warrants for former Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter in connection with a fatal January car accident. The warrants are for reckless driving and racing.
A Jan. 15 accident claimed the lives of Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy. Carter was driving a separate vehicle, and an ongoing police investigation found the two vehicles were “operating in a manner consistent with racing.” Police initially determined the crash a single-car accident caused by LeCroy speeding.
Carter, 21, is expected to be a top-five pick in April. ESPN.com ranks the interior D-lineman as the No. 3 overall prospect in this year’s class; Mel Kiper Jr. places him as the top player available. The highly touted prospect had been scheduled to speak at the Combine on Wednesday morning, but NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes he is not present. Carter met with teams prior to this updated story emerging. As of Tuesday night, Carter’s agent told Alan Judd and Dylan Jackson of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he had not been contacted about potential charges.
Evidence suggests Carter’s vehicle, a 2021 Ford Tomahawk, and LeCroy’s, a 2021 Ford Expedition, were switching lanes — including on the opposite side of the road — and speeding. Just before LeCroy’s fatal crash, her vehicle was traveling approximately 104 mph. A toxicology report measured LeCroy’s blood-alcohol level at .197, well above the legal limit, and the investigation has deemed alcohol, racing and reckless driving were “significant contributors” to this accident.
Police questioned Carter, and Judd and Jackson report his story changed. Initially, Carter said he was a mile away when the accident occurred. That account changed to indicate he was following the vehicle close enough to see its taillights. Carter also later said he was driving alongside the Expedition. He left the scene of the crash, according to the Journal-Constitution, with police initially suspecting other cars were at the scene at the time of the wreck, which occurred after 2:30 a.m. on Jan. 15.
Members of Georgia’s national championship-winning team were celebrating at a downtown Athens strip club. Three cars left the club around the same time, per Judd and Jackson. Athens police had previously ticketed Carter for driving 89 mph in a 45-mph zone in September 2022; Carter received a $1K fine for that violation.
More must-reads: