MARCH 2: After indicating he would return to Athens to face these misdemeanor charges, Carter was booked at 11:33pm ET. He was released from the Athens-Clarke County Jail at 11:49pm, upon paying a $4K bond, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Carter will make a return to the Combine as well, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter, who notes (via Twitter) the 310-pound lineman will be back to finish his measurements and interviews with teams.
MARCH 1: The Athens-Clarke County (Ga.) Police Department secured arrest warrants for former Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter in connection with a fatal January car accident. The warrants are for reckless driving and racing (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Seth Emerson).
A January 15 accident claimed the lives of Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy. Carter was driving a separate vehicle, and an ongoing police investigation found the two vehicles were “operating in a manner consistent with racing.” Police initially determined the crash a single-car accident caused by LeCroy speeding.
Carter, 21, is expected to be a top-five pick in April. ESPN.com ranks the interior D-lineman as the No. 3 overall prospect in this year’s class; Mel Kiper Jr. places him as the top player available. The highly touted prospect had been scheduled to speak at the Combine on Wednesday morning, but NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes (on Twitter) he is not present.
Carter met with teams prior to this updated story emerging. As of Tuesday night, Carter’s agent told Alan Judd and Dylan Jackson of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he had not been contacted about potential charges. Carter said later (via Twitter) he will return to Athens to “answer the misdemeanor charges against me and to make certain that the complete and accurate truth is presented.”
Evidence suggests Carter’s vehicle, a 2021 Ford Tomahawk, and LeCroy’s, a 2021 Ford Expedition, were switching lanes — including on the opposite side of the road — and speeding. Just before LeCroy’s fatal crash, her vehicle was traveling approximately 104 mph. A toxicology report measured LeCroy’s blood-alcohol level at .197, well above the legal limit, and the investigation has deemed alcohol, racing and reckless driving were “significant contributors” to this accident.
Police questioned Carter, and Judd and Jackson report his story changed. Initially, Carter said he was a mile away when the accident occurred. That account changed to indicate he was following the vehicle close enough to see its taillights. Carter also later said he was driving alongside the Expedition. He left the scene of the crash, according to the Journal-Constitution. Police initially suspected other cars were at the scene at the time of the wreck, which occurred after 2:30am Jan. 15. Police asked a Georgia athletics official to have Carter return to the scene; he returned at around 4:15am and denied speeding or racing. Police did not find Carter had been drinking.
Members of Georgia’s national championship-winning team were celebrating the win at a downtown Athens strip club. Three cars left the club around the same time, per Judd and Jackson. Athens police had previously ticketed Carter for driving 89 mph in a 45-mph zone in September 2022; Carter received a $1K fine for that violation. Teams had a lot of questions regarding Carter’s maturity level before this report of his potential involvement in the accident surfaced, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. This issue will certainly overshadow everything else about his prospect status for the time being.
Why do these guys do this stuff right before the draft? Makes no sense.
I’ll correct this for you… why does anyone do this at all? The timing is irrelevant.
Kirby and Athens PD need to feel some intense heat over this for their cover up.
Well certainly makes the decision for Poles a whole lot easier about trading back twice now doesn’t it?
Willock’s family will most certainly file a Civil Suit possibly including LeCroy’s family( Doubtful because the woman passed away) And definitely him and he can say goodbye to the massive signing bonus he thought he was going to get. You’re talking about judgements against whoever drafts him and Carter himself and who needs that hassle. Just move on from him, Nothing to see here anymore.
Because kids do stupid things. All the time. If you’re an adult and you don’t know this by now, you’ve led an incredibly sheltered life.
Ever heard of Len Bias?
Guess I’ve lived a sheltered life because I’ve never killed anybody.
Neither did Carter. This isn’t about killing anybody. This is about making stupid decisions. There are countless deaths that took place unnecessarily because of stupid decisions.
A) He’s an adult
B) That’s not an excuse for putting lives at risk
No one involved in this incident is a kid. Doing stupid things is something all kids do but I doubt racing someone going 104 mph in a 45mph zone is something only an extremely small percentage of humans have ever done.
Maybe, but how many did it with a BAC of .197 and walked away to tell that story?
That BAC is nice and drunk, too.
When do you stop being a kid, 30? These ‘kids’ are m making 6 figures off a NIL. Stop babying adults.
What is a Ford Tomahawk
I was curious about that myself
It is a beefed up version of a Ford Ranger truck
He didn’t do this right before the draft. This happened back in January. What he did do is lie about what happened. And he did it a few times.
Jerome Brown also had a penchant for speeding and racing. He died and killed his nephew doing just that, so I’m gonna guess teams will not just glance over.
I wonder if this is an example of where ESPNs McShay referenced maturity and attitude issues ?
This absolutely falls under that category.
Regardless of his talent, I don’t see how any team could spend a draft choice on this guy, unless they’re using a late round pick in hopes he learns and matures from his mistakes. When you look at what happened with Ruggs, it’s a cautionary story.
These guys have a world of opportunities in reach, and all they need to do is not be stupid. It shouldn’t be hard.
This has Jerry Jones 5th round all over it
He’s going to fit into the National Felon League quite nicely.
Or be drafted by the Raiders
Dallas come to mind as well.
Plenty of murderers have played in this league. Hell Ray Lewis is celebrated. Raiders or Bengals forsure
Sounds like the Reggie Rogers drunk driving causing death case. Suburban Detroit. Rogers was Lions top draft pick. He had started his career but after his arrest he stood trial did time disappeared.
Why the Bengals? What currently with this management regime leads you to that statement?
Tell me Joe Mixon isn’t a piece of garbage with his 2 cases of domestic violence. Not to mention being disrespectful to an officer while being ticketed. Yeah maybe the days of Pacman and Burfict are gone, but the Bengals are still the same.
Burfict and Pacman were saints compared to Mixon
Jackson Carmen
Mixon strikes again….
Leonard Liitle as well…
Ray didn’t kill anybody, but his homies that he was with did, he helped cover it up and then lied about it.
Which is accessory to murder. I’ll give it to you though he didn’t commit it, he just did everything illegal in between.
Maybe he’ll drop to the Giants, they could use him as a rotational piece
I’m sure there’s teams out there ok with him falling to them in a spot they couldn’t get him previously, and telling themselves it’s ok because it’s an isolated situation.
This won’t change much. Unless he does time (not likely), or the NFL disqualifies him (not likely), he’ll still get drafted. He could even go in the first three rounds still.
In the same comment you say things won’t change and follow up with could even go in first three rounds. He was basically guaranteed to be a top 5 pick, if he drops to round 3 that’s a huge change. You know the difference between the #5 pick and a 3rd round contract? Difference between last years #5 pick and a 3rd round salary is about $30 million
I meant it won’t stop him from getting drafted this year. Learn how to read with context or stay off message forums.
Calm down Lori… I know you are mad about your election loss, but no need to bring it here.
He may still go in the first round (maybe still top 15). Teams will talk themselves into his talent and “2nd chances” and want to draft him.
Maybe we should let all the facts come in before we hang him. Just an American thought. FYI, I am not an UGA fan.
You know…the George Santos approach
He didn’t slam her, he didn’t bump her, he didn’t nudge her. He rubbed her, and rubbin’ son, is racin
So this happened a month and a half ago, but they get an arrest warrant right after the combine starts? Don’t get me wrong, he needs to be accountable, but that’s smells of weird, vindictive grandstanding by the cops, considering they’re not even charging him with the death.
Interviewing and investigating crime scene aren’t completed in a day. Especially death related.
I’m well aware, but the timing doesn’t feel coincidental either.
Sorry that law enforcement couldn’t clear it with him on when a good time for him was
I didn’t say they should. I’m saying this looks like going out of their way to mess with him.
So now the 2 guys the Bears were supposed to have drafted are probably off the board. Anderson is a 240 Lb. DE who profiles as an OLB in a 3-4 and doesn’t fit Eberflus scheme at all, And the other one is in huge trouble. If I’m Poles I say thanks for making my decision easy.
I don’t know where you’ve gotten this idea that Anderson wouldn’t fit the Eberflus scheme, but it’s wrong. I don’t think there’s a scheme in football he wouldn’t fit.
I got the idea from seeing that most LT’s in the NFL are 320 LB’s and incredibly fast and no 240 pound guy will beat them. Mack was a lot bigger and can’t do it anymore and they got rid of HIM in 2 seconds flat.That’s where I got the idea.
OK. There are different styles of pass rusher, though. Anderson isn’t built like a Bosa or Mack, but there are absolutely successful NFL pass rushers built like him. Von Miller weighed in at 246 at the combine.
And he’s a LB! Why can’t you get that? And he moves all over in a 3-4! Man you’re like a dog with a bone. I get it, you like him. he’s not the GUY you build a D. Line around. He is a guy who might be the last piece, Not the first because he’d be WORTHLESS to the Bears. Hope this helps.
The idea that the best pass rusher and arguably best prospect in the draft would be worthless to the Bears is hilarious.
And if the Bears want someone with his skill set they can get him with the Ravens pick in the 2nd round. Bears should be focused right now on getting Dre’mont Jones from the Broncos in FA. he’d be the first guy I’d go after. Then maybe 1 of the C’s if they don’t think they can get Schmidt or whatever his name is. Then maybe, but only maybe would I think about Anderson at all. You get fooled easily thinking Alabama guys are better than they are as they are basically playing with pros in College. Fools Gold.
I think you’re seriously underestimating how good a prospect Anderson is or how hard it is to find a top pass rusher at pick 54, but good luck.
And…… Not to mention the Bears ALREADY have 2 of those guys in Robinson and Gipson who are BIGGER than Anderson. How about we draft something we DON’T have instead?
Even setting aside the fact that he’s entering the last year of his deal, the idea that Trevis Gipson is a reason not to draft Will Anderson is truly one of the strangest comments I’ve ever seen on here.
Mike, I think you’re off on this one. Most analysts grade this guy as a generational talent and rate him as the best player in the country. No lineman or linebacker on the Bears is even close to that good.
Rondon- Well I’ve been wrong before. I think he’s mostly a Tweener. Too small to be a DE and too big to be a LB. I remember the last 2 times the Bears drafted that guy. Leonard Floyd and I forget the guy before that but it was awhile ago. Neither worked out very well. If they take him I’ll be disappointed but not suicidal like poor Ooof there. If the Bears don’t take him it sounds like we’ll have to have him on 24 hour watch. If the Bears load up the DL in FA fine. But by himself I fear he’s not gonna do much without help. If they take him I hope I’m wrong.
Shea Mclellin- yeah remember him? Of course not because he sucked. I had to go look him up.
You’re right about him needing help. It’s gonna take more than one high draft pick to turn the wheel on that defense. Their front 7 were horrendous.
10 min before the draft a la Laremy Tunsil would be messing with him. Teams already knew about this.
You can’t seriously believe that garbage. He committed a crime, allegedly. That’s why he’s in the situation he’s in. There isn’t some police captain or judge stroking a Siamese cat trying to ruin Jalen Carters life. Jesus…that may be one of the dumbest things opined in these forums.
Ah yes, cops never go out of their way to mess with people.
Yes, there are some bad cops out there. Far more good cops are walking the streets then bad but that’s neither here nor there. Do you realize how far the corruption in this conspiracy theory of yours would have to go to get to the point of issuing a warrant for his arrest? Stop trying to make excuses for people. It would be dumb for us to assume his innocence or guilt at this stage. It’s equally stupid to suggest that some judge is so corrupt that he would sit on an issue involving someone’s death just to “mess” with the NFL draft status of Jalen Carter.
I’m not making any excuses for Carter or his actions. I’m saying this timing doesn’t seem coincidental. You can stay as credulous as you like.
Do you know how many arrest warrants are served at peoples places of work after months of investigation? A lot. Why does Jalen Carter deserve to be given preferential treatment over John and Jane Doe? Because he’s a football player? Think about what your saying.
Uh huh. And they just happened to do this when he was going to be out of state instead of basically any other week. Like I said, you can believe what you want to believe. This sets off my BS detector.
When would it have been a good time to issue this warrant in your infinite wisdom? Maybe they could wait until he retires from the NFL. That way they wouldn’t have to affect his life too badly. It’s a real shame for the person or persons who died in this wreck. I would imagine it was also an inopportune time to die for them as well.
You want your cake and you want to be able to eat it as well. I get that. Unfortunately their is place called the “real world”. In this magical land that some of us live in we understand that time does not stop and start for us when it’s convenient. This is a place in which we have to live with the consequences of our actions.
Well now you’re just getting unhinged. He’s going to be back in Georgia right after the combine to prepare for his pro day and he’s been there a lot since January, so yeah, issuing the warrants now is odd. You don’t have to agree with me.
And if they didn’t have sufficient evidence at the time he was in Georgia? Should they just issue a warrant without cause?
Obviously not. But also, it’s a pair of misdemeanors. Who gets arrest warrants for misdemeanors? They could have waited one week for him to be back in state.
Not trying to be argumentative here, but if it’s a bad look to issue the warrants during the combine, what would it be if they waited a week (or however long until he returned to GA)? To me that might seem like preferential treatment because he’s a star athlete/on the verge of becoming a millionaire.
It took them a month and a half after the incident. Who’s going to even notice if they wait one more week to make an arrest on two misdemeanor charges? It’s not like they’re booking him for manslaughter, let alone murder.
The Georgia police going out of their way to mess with a Georgia player?? I doubt that very highly!
Don’t police have to get said warrant from a judge? Or is that only on Law and Order?
Even before this report, I thought this kid is overrated. Now he’s overrated, immature with questionable character.
No wonder Kiper had him at #1. Kiper couldn’t pick his nose.
I mourn the loss of life and for the families impacted. I also mourn for Carter–he has to live with this and the consequences.
Should Jalen Carter have been racing at 100+ mph? No.
Should Jalen Carter be branded a murderer because the 24-year-old woman driving the other car crashed with a BAC of .197? Also no.
Carter made a mistake, yes, but he’s not the reason this woman and his teammate died.
She died because they were racing. Had she not been racing Jalen, she may live. Carter won’t be branded a murderer, just an idiot who lost his chance.
She died because she made a choice. No one put a gun to her head.
And who forced her to drive while intoxicated?
If he doesn’t race her, she isn’t going to race herself. It’s mostly on her but he has some blame in this too
Drive to work on I-94 near Chicago someday. 104 mph is the average speed. She crashed because she was wasted.
He has some blame in this, yes, which is why he faces misdemeanor charges and a fine. He will face the legal consequences commensurate with his actions. The only reason people care about Carter’s role in this is because he’s good at football.
She made the decision to race, she made the decision to do so with a BAC of .197 and she, ultimately, paid the price for her actions.
Whatever this is, And it’s surely not murder, The worst they could possibly come up with is Manslaughter and stupidity. And I highly doubt it raises to Manslaughter, Especially if she was racing also. Obviously he might get charged with perjury if he lied under oath to police but I highly doubt he was formerly questioned. He is going to face a ton of legal problems either way, And if I were Poles it makes my decision easy. I pass on both the 240 Lb. DE and the 300 Lb. DT who is under a microscope probably for years. Who needs that headache? Plus Eberflus and Poles are always saying it’s about character with them. I trade back twice and get my LT or WR1 with my 1st pick and save a ton of FA capital.
You’re not under oath talking to police so perjury is not a thing. Giving false statements, sure. He’s not doing any time. It’ll be probation.
Feels a lot like the Oneil Cruz situation. Cruz drove drunk and killed 3 people. However, failure to act responsibly by the eventual victims could have also prevented the issue – the vehicle in question he hit did not have it’s lights on. Cruz ended up remaining with the Pirates, and his infraction was worse.
Cruz wasn’t drunk, that’s misinformation there. He also hit a motorcycle with 3 people on it traveling the wrong way down the road… I don’t think the 2 situations are close to similar, but I do think Jalen gets off easy, and drops 10-15 spots.
The last I heard:
“SEPT. 22, 7:55pm: Cruz was driving under the influence when the accident occurred, Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes reports.”
link to triblive.com
This is from 09/27/20. Not a single piece of evidence found, and no matter where you look it never once shows any conviction of a DUI, or any real evidence. A motorcycle without it’s lights on was driving and Cruz hit them, that’s the facts given and all we can take for it. Zero convictions,.
Kind of stupid on Carter’s part. If there aren’t any traffic cameras, there is a still a likelihood that some of the local businesses, especially banks, would have a camera.
He is being charged with 2 misdemeanors and facing fines. He is not dropping out of the first round, probably still go top ten.
So how long before some screen writer develops this into the next “Fast & Furious” movie sequel?
Is there any evidence that he knew she was (that) drunk?
They were all out together celebrating, so yeah.
He’ll drop down to 10th -15th pick in the first round. League office will suspend him 4 games. Then he’ll have to pay the families… then all we forgotten.
League can’t suspend him since he’s not an employee of the NFL
I hope he drops to 19.
Arians new job can be CRO… Chief Rehab Officer.
Expect more charges. Leaving the scene, for one. Could be a felony since it was leaving the scene with a fatality. Could go as high as involuntary manslaughter even.
The Clark County police showing that the southern good ol’ boy club is alive and well.
This guy should be in jail.
College football is a dirty business – but nobody cares – so just give the guy the usual slap on the wrist and move on.