LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — Court records show that a former University of Georgia star was driving on a suspended license at the time of a crash that killed a teammate and a recruiting staff member in January.
Jalen Carter, 22, was arrested in March and charged with street racing and reckless driving in connection to the crash that killed Devin Willock, 20, and Chandler LeCroy, 24, just hours after the program held a celebration for its back-to-back national championships.
Police said LeCroy and Carter were racing at the time of the crash on January 15.
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Carter was sentenced to 12 months of probation, a $1,000 fine, 80 hours of community service and a defensive driving course after pleading no contest to the charges.
Court documents, newly obtained by Channel 2 Action News, show that, at the time of the crash, Carter’s license had been suspended.
The suspension stems from a July 23, 2022, speeding ticket in Lake County, Florida. According to court records, Carter was cited for going 49 mph in a 40 mph zone.
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At the end of August, Carter pleaded no contest to a speeding charge, paid a $133.50 fine and agreed to go to traffic school.
The court ordered he should complete traffic school by Oct. 28. Court records show he did not. His license was suspended at some point after he failed to complete traffic school.
On Jan. 26, less than two weeks after the deadly crash, Carter paid a second fine of $105.50 and had his license reinstated, court records show.
The charges against Carter in connection to the Jan. 15 crash did not include driving with a suspended license, according to records.
Channel 2 Action News has reached out to Athens-Clarke County police to see if they were aware of the status of Carter’s license at the time of his arrest. Channel 2 Action News has also contacted attorneys representing Carter in this matter. We have not heard back from either.
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This new information comes just days after Devin Willock’s father, Dave Willock, filed a $40 million lawsuit against UGA’s athletic association, Carter and more defendants. The lawsuit includedallegation that Carter was driving on a suspended license.
Dave Willock and the Willock estate are seeking $30 million from the defendants in compensatory damages and an additional $10 million in punitive damages from Carter, according to the lawsuit obtained by Channel 2′s Tom Jones.
Last month, Carter joined the NFL when the Philadelphia Eagles selected him as the ninth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
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