Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter returned to the NFL scouting combine on Thursday after turning himself in to Athens police Wednesday night. Carter posted a combined bond of $4,000 on charges of reckless driving and racing in relation to a fatal crash that killed a teammate and team staffer.
Carter, originally projected as one of the top players in next month’s NFL draft, could lose millions of dollars if he drops from the top of the first round because of his alleged connection to the January 15 crash that killed teammate Devin Willock and recruiting staffer, 24-year-old Chandler LeCroy.
Police allege in an arrest warrant that Carter was racing his 2021 Jeep Trackhawk against the 2021 Ford Expedition driven by LeCroy at the time of the crash. Willock was a passenger in the SUV LeCroy was driving.
Carter turned himself in at 11:33 p.m. and was released at 11:49 p.m., according to Athens-Clarke County jail records. He posted bond of $2,500 on the racing charge and $1,500 on the reckless driving charge.
Carter issued a statement on Twitter after the warrant was made public Wednesday, saying he expects to be “fully exonerated.”
He said he intends “to make certain that the complete and accurate truth is presented. There is no question in my mind that when all of the facts are known that I will be fully exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing.”
