It has been a tragic few weeks for the University of Georgia football family. Two members of the Bulldogs family have been killed. Three others have been arrested. Those well publicized incidents have given the University of Georgia a series of self-inflicted black eyes. Is there a culture problem?
A Bulldogs player and a staff member were killed in a car crash on Jan. 15, just days after Georgia won a second consecutive national title. Jalen Carter, who could be the potential top pick in the NFL Draft later this spring, was arrested Wednesday on a reckless driving and racing charge related to the crash.
Then there’s Georgia linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson. He was arrested in February on the same charges for a different incident. Quarterback Stetson Bennet, who was instrumental in helping deliver back-to-back titles, was arrested in January on charges of public intoxication in Dallas.
Georgia head coach Kirby Smart defends the program's 'culture,' despite fatal crash and two arrests https://t.co/ki4OJv6sIj
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) March 4, 2023
Post Parade Problems Galore
The problems started hours after Georgia’s parade to celebrate its win over TCU in the national championship game. Carter was racing recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy on a street near campus early on Jan. 15. She was driving a Ford Expedition, a car that she was unauthorized to be in and will operating the vehicle at a high rate of speed when it left the road. She hit two power poles and several trees.
#UPDATE – Georgia football player Devin Willock was not wearing a seat belt when he was ejected from the vehicle in a weekend crash that killed him and a recruiting staff member, police said. INFO: https://t.co/oEUr1TN0E5 pic.twitter.com/9nGmDdd74f
— KWTX News 10 (@kwtx) January 18, 2023
LeCroy was transported to a hospital, where she later died of her injuries. Willock, an offensive lineman was ejected from the vehicle and died at the scene.
Another female staff member and a former Georgia player were in the car, too, but survived. Police said the car was traveling 104 mph when it crashed, and that LeCroy’s blood alcohol level was about 2.5 times the legal limit in Georgia.
Carter’s NFL combine interrupted by arrest warrant
A misdemeanor arrest warrant was issued for Carter for his alleged role in the crash. He left the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, flew to Athens to turn himself in, and then returned to the combine Thursday.
Carter’s arrest came a week after Dumas-Johnson was charged with reckless driving after a separate incident just days before the deadly crash. Police said they saw Dumas-Johnson’s vehicle traveling at high speeds before fleeing the scene.
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