(CNN) University of Georgia soccer standout Jalen Carter surrendered to police in Athens, Georgia, Wednesday night time on prices associated to a crash that killed his teammate and a workforce staffer hours after they celebrated the Bulldogs’ nationwide championship victory.
Carter — who has been projected as a high choose within the NFL draft subsequent month — turned himself in on the Athens-Clarke County Jail on prices of reckless driving and racing, jail data present. He was booked at 11:33 p.m. and launched a short while later at 11:49 p.m.
Carter’s teammate Devin Willock and soccer workforce workers member Chandler LeCroy had been killed within the January 15 crash, which occurred hours after the workforce participated in a parade by way of campus to rejoice its second consecutive nationwide title.
LeCroy was driving a Ford SUV close to the campus with Willock and two different members of the soccer program additionally within the car, police have stated. The SUV was touring “about 104 miles per hour” earlier than it veered off the street and slammed into two energy poles and several other timber, Athens-Clarke County police stated.
Authorities stated Carter was driving a separate car and he and LeCroy seemed to be racing.
“The proof demonstrated that each automobiles switched between lanes, drove within the heart flip lane, drove in reverse lanes of journey, overtook different motorists, and drove at excessive charges of pace, in an obvious try to outdistance one another,” Athens-Clarke County police stated.
Carter responded to the allegations in a press release posted on his verified Twitter account Wednesday, writing, “This morning I obtained a phone name from the Athens Georgia police division informing me that two misdemeanor warrants have been issued in opposition to me for reckless driving and racing.
“It is my intention to return to Athens to reply the misdemeanor prices in opposition to me and to make sure that the whole and correct fact is introduced. There is not any query in my thoughts that when the entire info are recognized that I will probably be totally exonerated of any felony wrongdoing,” he wrote.
Carter spoke to police the night time of the crash, in keeping with Lt. Shaun Barnett of the Athens-Clarke County police.
Georgia head soccer coach Kirby Smart stated the costs introduced in opposition to Carter are “deeply regarding, particularly as we’re nonetheless struggling to deal with the devastating lack of two beloved members of our neighborhood.”
“We will proceed to cooperate totally with the authorities whereas supporting these households and assessing what we will study from this horrible tragedy,” Smart stated in a written assertion.
Investigators have additionally stated alcohol seemed to be an element within the lethal crash.
Toxicology outcomes present LeCroy, who was driving a college car not licensed to be used on the time of the crash, had a blood alcohol focus of .197 — greater than twice the authorized restrict in Georgia, police stated.
Willock was ejected and died on the scene and LeCroy died at a neighborhood hospital. The two different passengers within the car had been injured, officers stated.
Carter, who will skip his senior season, has been thought-about the potential No. 1 general choose within the upcoming NFL draft this April. He was a key a part of Georgia’s vaunted protection that allowed the fewest dashing yards per recreation (77.1) in 2022 and was named to a number of All-America groups.
CNN’s Nick Valencia and David Close contributed to this report.
