Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, considered one of the top — by some estimates, perhaps the top — prospect in the 2023 NFL Draft, was the focus of headlines on Wednesday at the NFL combine for all the wrong reasons.
Police in Athens-Clarke County announced that an arrest warrant was out for Carter in connection with a car accident that ultimately killed Bulldogs offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy, with others — OL Warren McClendon and staffer Tory Bowles — getting injured.
There was news late on Wednesday night that Carter was booked and released after posting bond, which we’ll include everything we know so far about this developing story:
After Georgia's title win January, the devastating crash occured
At the time, an initial police investigation revealed this (via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution):
In a statement from the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, at approximately 2:45 a.m. police responded to a single-vehicle crash in the 900 block of Barnett Shoals Road. An initial investigation indicates that a 2021 Ford Expedition was traveling southbound in the outside lane of Barnett Shoals Road when the vehicle left the roadway, striking two power poles and several trees.
Police said the crash and contributing factors remain under investigation. A full crash report has not been released.
One eyewitness to the aftermath of the accident said it appeared the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed. The vehicle hit several utility poles, trees and came to rest after hitting an apartment building in the Shoal Creek complex.
The news about the warrant for Carter dropped on Wednesday
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
As the police statement notes, Carter and LeCroy “were operating their vehicles in a manner consistent with racing shortly after leaving the downtown Athens area at about 2:30 AM.”
The warrants were for Reckless Driving and Racing, which are both misdemeanors.
Carter released a statement not long after that news broke
— Jalen Carter (@breadmanjalen) March 1, 2023
He said he would return to Athens, and that “there is no question in my mind that when all of the facts are known that I will be fully exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing.”
Carter turned himself in on Wednesday night
Carter, 21, was booked into Athens-Clarke County Jail in Georgia at 11:33 p.m. Wednesday and released shortly afterward at 11:49 p.m. He is facing misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing in connection with the fatal crash that killed one of his Georgia football teammates, Devin Willock, and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy earlier this year.
It is immediately unclear whether Carter has retained an attorney. His agent has not responded to a request for comment.
