Report: Police considered more serious charges against Jalen Carter in connection with fatal crash

Police considered more serious charges against former Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter in connection with a fatal crash. That crash killed former teammate Devin Willock and football staffer Chandler LeCroy.

According to Alan Judd of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, police considered heavier charges against Carter after documents revealed evidence of a race between Carter and LeCroy in downtown Athens. Investigators also had a theory of a third car in the racing scenario.

If Carter faced the more serious charges, the former Bulldog star could’ve faced a lengthy prison sentence.

“The documents also contain previously unreported information about how the police investigated what officers termed the ‘reckless disregard’ with which Carter and LeCroy raced between downtown Athens and the crash site, about three miles away,” Judd wrote. “Investigators examined whether a third car, which lost a bumper at the crash scene, had been racing with Carter and LeCroy. They ultimately discarded that theory.

“They used surveillance video and cell phone records, including location data, to establish Carter and LeCroy were racing side by side along much of their route out of downtown, despite a denial by Carter. And they considered filing more serious charges against Carter that could have led to a lengthy prison sentence.”

The top of Carter’s car had visual evidence of a crash amid high speeds.

“Officers documented scrapes on the roof of Carter’s car, which they said were consistent with hitting power lines that fell as the Expedition crashed,” Judd wrote.

Jalen Carter could’ve faced more serious charges

That type of evidence pointed towards a race downtown which ultimately led to the crash.

“The scuff marks being on the roof of Jalen’s car indicated to me that he was almost right next to the other vehicle when it crashed,” an officer wrote, via the AJC.

However, based on Carter’s interview with police, officers let him return home.

“Carter denied racing with the Expedition, and officers let him return home,” Judd wrote. “The police interviewed Carter again in February, this time by telephone. Carter acknowledged driving side by side with the Expedition on Barnett Shoals Road.(That was) in the area where LeCroy was estimated to be driving 99 mph.”

Carter reportedly pleaded “no contest” to the reckless driving charges. As a result, Carter will reportedly serve 12 months of probation. 

He also faces a $1,000 fine, 80 hours of community service and will have to attend a state-approved course for defensive driving.

Prior to the incident, Carter was a lock for the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. However, following the news breaking, Carter’s stock tumbled, in some places significantly. Others did not have the incident affecting him much.

Last season at Georgia, Jalen Carter accounted for 32 tackles, 7.0 tackles for a loss, 3.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, three pass breakups and 31 quarterback hurries. Carter was on the 2022 Associated Press, FWAA, Walter Camp and Sporting News All-America first teams after the season.