Police say alcohol, car racing were factors in crash that killed 2 in UGA football program
Athens-Clarke County police said Wednesday that, "alcohol impairment, racing, reckless driving, and speed were significant contributing factors to the crash" in January that killed two members of the Georgia football program.
Georgia recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy and offensive lineman Devin Willock were killed in the crash. Offensive tackle Warren McClendon and recruiting staffer Tori Bowles were injured.
The toxicology report, police announced Wednesday in a press release, indicated that LeCroy, the driver of the 2021 Ford Expedition, had a blood alcohol concentration of .197 percent at the time of the crash. The legal limit in Georgia is .08 percent. Police said “evidence indicated that shortly before the crash the Expedition was traveling at about 104 miles per hour."
More:An emotional Nolan Smith on the loss of teammate Devin Willock: '77, you’re living forever'
More:UGA football star Jalen Carter releases statement after warrants issued related to fatal crash
Arrest warrants were issued Wednesday for former star defensive lineman Jalen Carter for reckless driving and racing. Carter is a projected top-five pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.
“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 2:30 AM," police said about the crash that occurred around 2:45 a.m. Jan. 15 on Barnett Shoals Road. "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.
"Investigators determined that alcohol impairment, racing, reckless driving, and speed were significant contributing factors to the crash. The case will be given to the Solicitor General’s Office."
Carter released a statement shortly after the warrants were announced.
"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," Carter said. "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."
Carter returned to Athens from the NFL Draft Combine in Indianapolis to turn himself in late on Wednesday, was booked into the Clarke County jail at 11:33 p.m. and released at 11:49 p.m. on bonds totaling $4,000, according to the jail's online booking report. Both charges are misdemeanors.
Georgia football coach Kirby Smart released a statement on Wednesday, saying, "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. "We will continue to corporate fully with the authorities while supporting these families and assessing what we can learn from this horrible tragedy."
Cars allegedly racing has recently been the cause of multiple charges for those associated with the Georgia program.
Last week, Georgia football starting linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson was arrested on reckless driving charges stemming from a Jan. 10 incident, the day after the Bulldogs won a second consecutive national championship.
Warrants were issued for Dumas-Johnson after an investigation into two vehicles traveling next to each other on College Station Road in a "reckless manner at high speeds that fled the area upon sign of the officer."
Dumas-Johnson’s name also appeared in the Athens-Clarke County police logs obtained by the Athens Banner-Herald via an open records request seeking info about the Jan. 15 crash. Police requested to contact Dumas-Johnson and linebacker Smael Mondon. Questions about why Dumas-Johnson and Mondon were sought after for contact from the Banner-Herald to Athens-Clarke County police were not answered due to the open investigation into the crash.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Police: Alcohol a factor in crash that killed 2 UGA football members
