Coaches were ‘well aware’ that Georgia Bulldogs staff members had been driving under the influence several times with prospects prior to the fatal collision in 2023.
According to court records obtained by ESPN, a former recruitment analyst for the University of Georgia claims that staff members of the Georgia Bulldogs frequently drove rented cars while intoxicated.
Victoria Bowles, who lived through the Jan. 15, 2023, collision that claimed the lives of Bulldogs offensive lineman Devin Willock and Georgia staff member Chandler LeCroy, claimed that coaches and supervisors “encouraged” recruiting staff members to consume alcohol during player family-only events.
When LeCroy, Willock, and Bowles were purportedly racing with Georgia defensive player Jalen Carter—who currently plays for the Philadelphia Eagles—in the SUV, the top speed reached was 104 mph. Driving when she lost control and veered off the road, striking two utility poles and two trees, LeCroy had a blood alcohol content of.197.
Bowles is suing Carter, LeCroy’s estate, the University of Georgia Athletics Association, and other parties for damages. Bowles survived the crash but suffered catastrophic injuries.
In court records that ESPN was able to get, Bowles’ lawyers claim that employees of the Georgia Bulldogs frequently leased cars following bar crawls for the football team. In a lawsuit, the attorneys claim that the assistant football coaches for the Bulldogs may have violated NCAA rules by using cash to cover recruiting costs while on unauthorized visits.
LeCroy was not authorized to use the hired SUV for personal use, according to every accusation that the UGA Athletic Association has previously refuted. But the complaint also claims to have text messages from coaches and administrators pushing employees to have alcohol with football recruits and their families.
One particular claim states that during recruiting events, Kirby Smart’s house was open to assistant coaches and staff, including members of the recruiting team, who were allowed to consume alcohol. The Bulldogs coaching staff is then accused of letting the recruiting staff leave the gatherings knowing they were drunk after they had consumed alcohol.
Allegations in the lawsuit state that Georgia football coaches broke NCAA regulations by using cash to reimburse expenses for unofficial recruiting visits. In addition, Carter was charged in Bowles’ complaint with leaving the scene of a deadly collision illegally without providing assistance or contacting law enforcement.
In court records, Bowles’s attorneys state that she experienced three lumbar fractures, five fractured vertebrae, ten broken ribs, a fractured clavicle, fractured teeth, a puncture, a collapsed lung, and abdominal hemorrhaging, resulting in a “likely permanent disability” and more than $170,000 in medical costs.
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