Georgia football star Jalen Carter pleads no contest to charges connected to deadly crash
Former UGA star enters 'no contest' plea for reckless driving, racing
Former UGA defensive lineman Jalen Carter has entered a plea deal with the Athens-Clarke County Solicitor's Office. Carter will not spend any time in jail in connection to the crash that killed two members of the UGA family. Police charged the star defensive player with reckless driving and racing weeks after the crash that killed Devin Willock and staffer Chandler LeCroy.
ATHENS, Ga. - University of Georgia football star Jalen Carter has agreed to a plea deal with the Athens-Clarke County Solicitor General’s Office that would have him avoiding jail time for charges connected to the crash that killed one of his teammates and a staffer.
Carter, one of the top prospects for the 2023 NFL Draft, pled no contest to two misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing in connection to the Jan. 15 crash. The plea would require him to perform 80 hours of community service, pay a fine of $1,000, and serve a year of probation.
Athens-Clarke County police announced on March 1 that warrants had been issued for the UGA football stand-out. Carter turned himself in to police that night and was released 24 minutes later on a $4,000 bond.
The crash claimed the lives of UGA offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy. Investigators told FOX 5 they believe Carter and LeCroy were racing prior to the wreck.
BODYCAM: OFFICER WARNS JALEN CARTER ABOUT SPEEDING MONTHS BEFORE DEADLY UGA CRASH
According to police, both vehicles switched between lanes, drove in a center turn lane, and drove in the opposing traffic lanes at high speeds in an attempt to "outdistance each other." This was just hours after the school held a celebration for the football team’s second consecutive national title.
Surveillance video from Downtown Athens minutes before crash
Surveillance video from Downtown Athens minutes before the crash shows two cars at a red light that match police descriptions of the vehicles that were allegedly racing. You can see one of the cars speed away quickly when the light turns green.
FOX 5 obtained surveillance video from Downtown Athens taken minutes before the crash. The video shows two cars at a red light that match police descriptions of the vehicles that were allegedly racing. One of the cars is seen speeding away quickly when the light turns green.
In a news release to FOX 5, police referenced a toxicology report indicating LeCroy’s blood alcohol level was .197 at the time of the crash, more than twice the legal limit. Investigators say LeCroy was traveling at 104 mph moments before the crash. The posted speed limit along the road is 40 mph.
UGA FOOTBALL STAFFER DRUNK AND TRAVELING OVER 100 MPH BEFORE FATAL CRASH, POLICE SAY
FOX 5 obtained a 911 call, one of many on the night of the crash. In the 911 call, a male voice could be heard talking to someone he first calls "JC" and then later "Jalen." The caller appears to urge "JC" to leave the scene of the accident.
"Hey JC. You might as well go the f*** on," the 911 caller can be heard saying.
Body cam shows Jalen Carter warned about speeding
Former UGA football standout Jalen Carter, who is out on bond on charges related to a deadly Jan. 15 crash that killed his teammate and a UGA recruiting staffer, was warned months ago about his speeding. A look at that video and what penalty he faced then.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found LeCroy trapped behind the wheel of a black 2021 Ford Expedition and Willock, who had been sitting in the SUV directly behind her, thrown from the vehicle. Willock died at the scene.
LeCroy had to be freed from the wreckage. She, 21-year-old offensive lineman Warren McClendon, and 26-year-old recruiting staffer Tory Bowles were then rushed to Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center. LeCroy would later succumb to her injuries. McClendon, who was in the front passenger seat, suffered lacerations in the middle of his head and Bowles, who was in the right rear passenger seat, sustained multiple injuries.
According to an accident report, Willock and Bowles were not wearing seat belts.
In a statement to FOX 5, Carter's lawyer Kim Stephens said that his client had not been drinking alcohol and was not under the influence of alcohol or any other illegal substances at the time of the wreck. Stephens also pushed back on what he called "false information" that Carter left the scene of the accident before police arrived.
"Even after being informed he could leave, Mr. Carter returned to the scene at the request of the Athens-Clarke County Police Department to answer additional questions and continued to cooperate throughout the investigation," Stephens said.
Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter (88) during the college football game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Mississippi State Bulldogs on November 12, 2022 at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, MS. (Photo by Kevin Langley/Icon Sportswire via Get
With the plea, the attorney said the state can not bring additional charges against Carter.
"We are happy that we were able to work with the solicitor general's office to reach a resolution that was fair and just based on the evidence in this case," Stephens said. "Mr. Carter continues to grieve for the loss of his friends and continues to pray for their families, as well as for the continued healing for injured friends."
The 6-foot-3 Carter weighed 323 pounds at a Georgia pro day Wednesday. He was listed by Georgia at 300 pounds during the 2022 season and checked in at 314 pounds for the NFL scouting combine in late February.
Carter had 32 tackles, including seven for losses, and three sacks as Georgia won its second consecutive national championship.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.