Jalen Carter pleads no contest
Former Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter resolved charges against him Thursday morning by entering no-contest pleas to two misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing.
In a statement emailed to UGASports from attorney Kim Stephens, Carter was sentenced to serve 12 months on probation, pay a $1,000 fine, perform 80 hours of community service, and complete a state-approved defensive driving course.
According to Stephens, Carter chose no contest to the charge in order to resolve his matter in the most efficient manner possible.
With the plea, the State is forever barred from bringing any charges against Carter for conduct alleged to have occurred on Jan. 15 in the tragic accident that claimed the life of former Bulldog Devin Willock and football staffer Chandler LeCroy.
The email praised the Athens-Clarke County Police Department for the “fair and thorough investigation done” in this case including their consultation with both the District Attorney’s Office and Solicitor General’s Office prior to taking arrest warrants. According to the email, the investigation, the warrants taken for misdemeanor traffic charges, and the accusation filed against Carter in the Athens-Clarke County Municipal Court demonstrate some key facts that should debunk false information that spread online and in the media after Carter’s arrest.
Stephens’ statement stated that Carter did not cause the tragic accident involving Lecroy, Willock, Victoria Bowles, and Warren McClendon. If the investigation had determined otherwise, Carter would have been charged with the far more serious offenses of vehicular homicide and serious injury by vehicle under Georgia law, both felony offenses, and would have faced a lengthy prison sentence.
The statement also read that Carter never left the scene of the accident without being told that he could leave. He stopped his car immediately after the accident occurred and ran toward the wrecked vehicle while his passenger called 911.
Even after being informed that he could leave, Mr. Carter returned to the scene at the request of the Athens-Clarke County Police Department to answer additional questions and continued to cooperate throughout the investigation.
Carter had not been drinking alcohol and was not under the influence of alcohol or any other illegal substance at the time of the wreck. If there had been any suspicion that Carter had consumed alcohol or used an illegal substance when Athens-Clarke County police officers and investigators spoke to him at the scene, following the accident, they would have arrested him for DUI, the email said.
This news comes one day after Carter took part in Georgia’s Pro Day, an event in which he had to leave position drills due to what sources tell UGASports were back spasms.
