Jalen Carter, who many have touted as the No 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft, has been charged with reckless driving and racing over a crash that killed one of his college football teammates in January.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on Wednesday that Carter was present at the scene of the 15 January crash that killed his Georgia teammate Devin Willock hours after the team had celebrated their national championship victory. The newspaper said Carter issued different narratives around the crash. On Wednesday the Athens-Clarke County police department said it intends to arrest 21-year-old Carter for reckless driving and racing, adding they believe alcohol to have played a role in the incident.
Willock, an offensive lineman for the Bulldogs, was killed in the crash alongside Georgia staff member Chandler LeCroy. Athens-Clarke police said on Wednesday that an investigation had determined that Carter and LeCroy were “operating their vehicles in a manner consistent with racing” before the crash.
“The investigation found that Chandler LeCroy, driver of the 2021 Ford Expedition, and Jalen Carter, driver of a 2021 Jeep Trackhawk, were operating their vehicles in a manner consistent with racing shortly after leaving the downtown Athens area at about 2.30am,” Athens-Clarke police said in a statement. “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.
Evidence indicated that shortly before the crash the Expedition was traveling at about 104 miles per hour. The toxicology report indicated that Leroy’s blood alcohol concentration was .197 at the time of the crash. Investigators determined that alcohol impairment, racing, reckless driving and speed were significant contributing factors to the crash.”
Carter is currently at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, but police said he intends to cooperate with the investigation when he returns to Georgia.
“It is my understanding that Mr Carter is making arrangements to turn himself in,” an Athens-Clarke County Police Department spokesman said in an email to the Associated Press.
Carter later issued a statement on Twitter in which he said he expects to be “fully exonerated” of any criminal misconduct.
“This morning I received a telephone call from the Athens, Georgia, police department informing me that two misdemeanor warrants have been issued against me for reckless driving and racing,” Carter said in the statement. “Numerous media reports also have circulated this morning containing inaccurate information concerning the tragic events of 15 January 2023. It is my intention to return to Athens to answer the misdemeanor charges against me and to make certain that the complete and accurate truth is presented. 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.”
If Carter is found guilty, he could face a fine of $1,000 and up to a year in jail for each count. However, Yahoo Sports reported that prison time is unlikely in a case such as Carter’s.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart expressed his sorrow over the charges on Wednesday.
“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,” 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.”
Many analysts had predicted that Carter, a defensive lineman, would be the No 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL draft.
