ATHENS, Ga. — New court filings revealed details about former University of Georgia star Jalen Carter’s response to a deadly 2023 crash hours after a parade celebrating their back-to-back national championship wins.
Teammate Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy were killed in the crash.
Carter, who was driving alongside in a separate SUV, is accused of not helping the victims in an amended lawsuit. It was filed by attorneys for the former recruiting staffer and the survivor of the crash, Tory Bowles.
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The 56-page lawsuit quotes a deposition Carter gave under oath in July.
The lawsuit says Carter admitted to knowing that Willock, LeCroy, Bowles and offensive lineman Warren McClendon were likely seriously injured.
The SUV stopped at the bottom of a slight embankment. Carter admitted in the deposition to staying on the sidewalk so as not to injure himself.
“But you never yourself ever went down that embankment to check on Mr. Willock, correct?” Carter is asked in the deposition according to the lawsuit.
“It was too dark. I couldn’t see nothing and there was car pieces everywhere. There was a chance of me hurting myself if I would have walked down, slid and fell or anything like that,” he replied.
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In the deposition, Carter was asked why he never reached out to Bowles after the crash.
“She wasn’t helping me get to the NFL. That was my coaches. I was going to people I needed,” he replied.
Attorneys say his statements in that deposition meet the legal threshold for Bowles to seek more than the $250,000 in punitive damages allowed under Georgia law.
Bowles is now seeking $5 million and a jury trial.
She settled claims with the UGA Athletic Association in August 2024.
After the crash, Carter was charged with racing and reckless driving and pleaded no contest. He was sentenced to 12 months probation and community service and fined $1,000.
He went on to be drafted No. 9 overall by the Philadelphia Eagles and win the Super Bowl.
You can read the full lawsuit below.
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