An arrest warrant was issued to Georgia defensive lineman and NFL Draft prospect Jalen Carter. Here’s everything to know about the charges he’s facing.
Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Jalen Carter was scheduled to speak with the media on Wednesday morning at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., the site of the NFL Scouting Combine. But, that was cancelled after some concerning news dropped. The Athens-Clarke County Police Department secured an arrest warrant for Carter on Wednesday on misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing. These charges implicate Carter in a Jan. 15 car crash that resulted in the deaths of Georgia offensive linemen Devin Willock and team recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy.
Later in the day, Carter released a statement on his official Twitter account, saying that he will return to Athens to answer the charges against him, while expressing his goal to clear his name.
This morning I received a telephone call from the Athens Georgia Police Department informing me that two misdemeanor warrants have ben issued against me for reckless driving and racing,” writes Carter. “Numerous media reports also circulated this morning containing inaccurate information concerning the tragic events of Jan. 15, 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.”
Everything to know about the charges against Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter
In the Athens-Clark County Police Department statement, it says Carter was driving a 2021 Jeep Trackhawk at high speeds alongside LeCroy, who was driving a 2021 Ford Expedition, and were “operating their vehicles in a manner consistent with racing” leaving the downtown Athens area at 2:30 a.m after the team’s national championship parade. The statement also states 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.” The toxicology report, per the Athens-Clark County Police Department, determined that LeCroy’s blood alcohol level was at .197, which is more than two times the legal limit in Georgia. The ACCPD revealed that investigators determined that alcohol impairment, reckless driving, speed, and racing were “significant contributing factors” in the crash.
LeCroy’s vehicle had left the road and crashed into power poles and trees. Willock was pronounced dead at the scene, while offensive lineman Warren McClendon and recruiting staffer Tory Bowles were injured. LeCroy was taken to a hospital, where she died from the injuries sustained in the crash.
According to an exclusive report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Carter was at the scene of the crash but left when officers arrived. After returning to the scene, he “gave shifting accounts of the wreck as an Athens police officer questioned him about whether he had been racing the car that crashed.”
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart released a statement regarding Carter being issued an arrest warrant, which you can read below, via The Athletic’s Seth Emerson.
Carter was not scheduled to work out at the NFL Scouting Combine, but was scheduled to speak with teams and undergo his physical at the event.
We will continue to keep you updated on this story once additional details are released and provided.
