The University of Georgia and former football standout Jalen Carter are being sued by a woman who was seriously injured in the January car crash that killed a former player and staffer.
Victoria S. Bowles says she was in the backseat of the car driven by Chandler LeCroy, the 24-year-old staffer who drove a Ford Expedition alongside passenger Devin Willock when she sustained lumbar and rib fractures, a spinal cord injury and lacerations to the kidney and liver.
Both LeCroy and Willock were killed, with the former driving at 104 mph with a blood-alcohol content of .197, more than double the legal limit in Georgia.
Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Jalen Carter (88) during the college football Playoff Semifinal game at the Chick-fil-a Peach Bowl between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Ohio State Buckeyes on December 31, 2022 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. (Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Bowles accuses the UGA Athletics Association of negligent entrustment of LeCroy and states that the association was aware that she had at least two “super speeder” violations among four speeding tickets prior to the crash. The lawsuit accuses the athletic association, LeCroy and Carter with varying degrees of negligence.
Bowles also says she sustained a closed head injury with neurological damage and severe eye pain.
The athletic association said in a statement that while it has supported Bowles during her recovery, it disputes her lawsuit and will vigorously defend itself in court. The school also said that “under no circumstances were recruiting staff authorized to use rental cars to drive at excessive speeds while intoxicated.”
Former Georgia offensive lineman Warren McClendon was also in the vehicle that crashed. He sustained minor injuries.
Jalen Carter #88 of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrates with a newspaper reading “Perfect!” after defeating the TCU Horned Frogs in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at SoFi Stadium on January 9, 2023, in Inglewood, California. Georgia defeated TCU 65-7. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The crash happened just hours after a celebration of the Bulldogs’ second consecutive national championship when they beat TCU, 65-7.
Carter, despite the legal troubles and poor showing at his pro day, was the ninth overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Jalen Carter poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being selected ninth overall by the Philadelphia Eagles during the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station on April 27, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (David Eulitt/Getty Images)
The new Eagle was charged with two misdemeanor counts of reckless driving and racing, and he pleaded no contest. He was sentenced to 12 months probation and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.
Carter was also ordered to serve 80 hours of community service and will have to complete a state-approved defensive driving course.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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