Georgia’s Jalen Carter charged in car crash that killed two people (released 2023)
Jalen Carter, a potential top-five pick in the upcoming NFL draft, was booked Wednesday night on misdemeanor charges in connection with a January car crash that killed two people, including a University of Georgia teammate. The accident occurred hours after the team’s national championship parade.
The arrest warrants charged Carter with reckless driving and racing.
According to Athens-Clarke County police, Carter, who had not been publicly implicated in the crash until Wednesday, was driving his Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk with a Ford Expedition driven by Chandler LeCroy, a recruiting analyst for the team.
According to the police report, both cars were driving over the speed limit and veered into oncoming traffic before the crash in Athens, Ga., on Jan. 15. The Expedition was traveling about 100 mph when it left the road and struck a utility pole, killing LeCroy, 24, and Devin Willock, 20, a sophomore on the team. Two other passengers in the car were injured.
Toxicology reports showed LeCroy was under the influence at the time of the crash.
In a statement on his social media account, Carter, 21, said news reports contained “incorrect information” about what happened the night of the crash. “I have no doubt that when all the facts are known, I will be completely exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing,” he added.
Carter turned himself in to an Athens jail Wednesday night and was released about 15 minutes later. He is scheduled to be arraigned in April.
The allegations of his involvement were first reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitutionin which he stated that he had given conflicting statements to police about his whereabouts at the time of the crash.
“The charges announced today are deeply troubling,” Georgia Coach Kirby Smart said in a statement, “especially as we continue to grapple with the devastating loss of two beloved members of our community.”
Carter, a defensive tackle, is considered one of the top prospects for the NFL draft in April and was in Indianapolis for the league’s scouting combine when the orders were issued. He was scheduled to speak to the press there Wednesday morning but did not appear.
Carolina Panthers general manager Scott Fitterer told reporters Wednesday that team executives interviewed Carter Monday night as part of their preparation for making the ninth overall pick in the draft. Fitterer said he learned of the charges against Carter Wednesday morning but had not discussed them with his staff.
“I don’t want to jump to conclusions,” Fitterer said. “We’ll just let it all happen and make a decision.”
Kris Rhim contributed reporting from Indianapolis.
