An Arrest Warrant Has Been Issued for Georgia Football Star Jalen Carter in Connection with A Car Accident that Resulted in The Death of A Teammate.
Police have issued a warrant for the arrest of University of Georgia football star Jalen Carter for his alleged involvement in a car accident that resulted in the deaths of his teammate Devin Willock and team staff member Chandler LeCroy.
In a statement to PEOPLE, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department stated that Carter, 21, is wanted for reckless driving and racing.
Carter, driving a 2021 Jeep Trackhawk, and LeCroy, 24, driving a 2021 Ford Expedition, is accused of engaging in a race after leaving Athens, Georgia shortly before 2:30 a.m.
“The evidence demonstrated that both vehicles changed lanes, drove in the center turn lane, drove in opposing travel lanes, overtook other motorists, and drove at high rates of speed in an apparent attempt to outdistance each other,” police said in a statement to PEOPLE.
At the time of the collision, police believe LeCroy was driving at 104 miles per hour while intoxicated with a blood alcohol concentration of.197.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported, based on documents obtained from the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, that Carter gave contradictory statements to officers at the scene. According to reports, he initially told officers that he heard the collision from a nearby apartment building, but later claimed to have been driving behind LeCroy. In addition, he allegedly denied he was racing to the police.
According to ESPN, Carter is the top overall prospect in this year’s NFL scouting combine draught, and he is scheduled to speak with reporters on Wednesday.
The Athens-Clarke County Police Department stated in an initial report released days after the collision that LeCroy “failed to negotiate a left curve, which resulted in the vehicle striking a curb with its front passenger tire and leaving the roadway,” before striking a “[Georgia] Power Pole and another utility pole, severing them in half.”
Her vehicle then “struck a tree with its rear passenger quarter panel” and began to “rotate clockwise” before colliding with a second tree on the driver’s side. According to the report, Willock was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene.
The accident occurred at 2:45 a.m., just hours after fans celebrated the team’s national championship at Sanford Stadium.
Following the news of the crash, both former and active players, such as Philadelphia Eagles’ Jordan Davis and linebacker Nolan Smith, paid tribute to Willock and LeCroy on social media.
“Seeing them mature and become like family over the course of these years. There is no sorrow without love, and we cherish you both as a family “Davis authored.
A statement from UGA reads, “Devin and Chandler were two special people who meant so much to the University of Georgia, our football program, and our athletics.” Please keep their families in your prayers during this time of great difficulty.
