Sandy MaloneAthens, GA – Authorities have issued an arrest warrant for University of Georgia football star Jalen Carter in connection with a high-speed crash in January that left a teammate and a team trainer dead.
The Athens-Clark County Police Department said its investigation had determined that racing was factor in the wreck, WJCL reported.
Police said that Clark, who was projected to be the number-one pick in the National Football League (NFL) draft, has been charged with reckless driving and racing.
Officials said the incident occurred in the early morning hours of Jan. 15 when Carter was racing his 2021 Jeep Trackhawk against a 2021 Ford Expedition, piloted by football team trainer Chandler LeCroy, as the two vehicles left downtown Athens, WJCL reported.
“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,” Athens-Clark County police said.
Police also released the toxicology report for LeCroy, which showed she had a blood-alcohol level of .197 at the time of the crash, according to WJCL.
Investigators have determined that racing, reckless driving, speed, and alcohol impairment were all contributing factors to the crash that left LeCroy and University of Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock dead.
Two other Georgia Bulldogs teammates were also injured in the wreck.
“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,” Georgia Bulldogs Head Coach Kirby 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.”
Kirby Smart statement on the police report concluding with misdemeanor arrest warrant issued against Jalen Carter: pic.twitter.com/12xd8cngZt
— Seth Emerson (@SethWEmerson) March 1, 2023
Carter was scheduled to appear before media at the NFL Combine on March 1 but did not make that appearance, WJCL reported.
Athens-Clark County Police spokesman Shaun Barnett said Carter’s representatives have told authorities they are “making arrangements for [Carter] to turn himself in.”
However, Barnett said he didn’t yet know when the two-time National College Football Championship winner would be turning himself in, WJCL reported.
Holly Matkin