Ex-Georgia staffer sues school, Eagles’ Carter

• Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior WriterJul 13, 2023, 11:43 AM ET

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  • Senior college football writer
  • Author of seven books on college football
  • Graduate of the University of Georgia

ATHENS, Ga.– Victoria Bowles, who survived the fatal automobile wreck that eliminated a University of Georgia football player and recruiting staffer on Jan. 15, has filed a lawsuit versus the UGA Athletic Association and Philadelphia Eagles novice Jalen Carter, whom authorities accused of racing the SUV being driven by a recruiting staffer when it wrecked.The suit,

submitted in state court in Gwinnett County on Wednesday by Bowles, a former recruiting analyst for the university, accuses the UGA athletic association of neglect and contradicts public declarations by Bulldogs football coach Kirby Smart and other officials, who have actually claimed that hiring staffer Chandler LeCroy should not have been driving the leased SUV when it left the roadway and struck trees and energy poles.The crash took place hours after Georgia celebrated its second straight national championship with an on-campus parade. After the wreck, the athletic association provided a statement that stated in part that “rental vehicles were to be kipped down at the immediate conclusion of recruiting tasks.”Editor’s Picks 2 Related”

On the night of

the Championship Celebration, LeCroy told Ms. Bowles that she [LeCroy] had’ consent’to keep the SUV’until tomorrow, ‘”the lawsuit stated.”Various text messages from recruiting staff managers to LeCroy, Ms. Bowles and other employee show the Association’s declaration is false. Hiring staff were regularly informed they could leave their personal cars overnight at the Butts-Mehre football facility and permissively use Association rental vehicles through a specified cut-off date and time, unassociated to their designated recruiting activity tasks.”The claim also declares that the athletic association was negligent in permitting LeCroy to drive the SUV throughout her responsibilities. Bowles’lawyers compete that athletic officials knew that “LeCroy had at least 4 speeding tickets, which included two’extremely speeder’violations under Georgia law. “The claim declares LeCroy’s supervisor remained in the car when she got her most recent super speeder ticket on Oct. 30 while driving house from the Georgia-Florida game in Jacksonville, Florida.The suit stated LeCroy’s SUV was taking a trip at least 104.2 mph when it crashed and had been racing another SUV driven by Carter for 45 seconds or less

. Police said LeCroy’s blood alcohol concentration was.197, nearly 2 1/2 times the legal limitation in Georgia.” The UGA Athletic Association would have fairly concluded that LeCroy frequently drove at extreme speeds when police was not present, “the suit

stated.”While LeCroy might have been legally intoxicated, the proximate cause of the crash was street racing and extreme speed. The Association’s negligent entrustment of the big rental SUV to LeCroy, with knowledge that she was a careless and regular speeder, accepts LeCroy’s main negligence-traveling 104.2 miles per hour.”In a statement Thursday, the Georgia Athletic Association stated:”We are continuing to review the problem, as complainant’s counsel chosen to share it with the media prior to sharing it with us. Based upon our preliminary review, we contest its claims and will intensely safeguard the Athletic Association’s interests in court.” The claim implicates Carter of unlawfully leaving the scene without speaking with police and failing to render help. “Regardless of LeCroy’s traveler, [previous Georgia offensive lineman Warren McClendon], specifying to him that he might not find Devin Willock, Defendant Carter left the scene after less than

10 minutes when another UGA football player at the scene chewed out him:’Yo … hey, JC … you might want to proceed and go get the f– on yo … ‘”the claim declared.”As Accused Carter was aware at the time, he was collectively accountable for the crash, and had a legal duty to stay on the scene. Rather, in part clearly fearful of bad promotion and the result on his NFL draft status, he hoped not

to be questioned or take any duty for his actions.”Carter pleaded no contest on March 16 to misdemeanor charges of negligent driving and racing. He was sentenced to 12 months of probation, a$1,000 fine and 80 hours of community service and will attend a state-approved protective driving course.Carter was selected with the ninth general pick by the Eagles in this year’s NFL draft.Bowles’ lawsuit also seeks damages from LeCroy’s estate. According to Bowles’ lawyers, she has actually sustained more than $170,000 in medical expenses and suffered” likely long-term special needs.”Amongst her injuries included in the suit are

3 lumbar fractures, five fractured vertebrae, 10 damaged ribs, damaged clavicle, fractured and

split teeth, kidney and liver lacerations, punctured and collapsed lung and stomach bleeding.The claim stated Bowles also suffered a closed head injury, which triggered neurological damage and serious eye pain, and according to her neurosurgeon, substantial damage to the membrane that surrounds the nerves of her spine, which can progress to permanent paralysis.”We hope that everyone reviews the comprehensive claims in the Grievance to properly understand what truly occurred that

night,”Bowles ‘lawyer, Rob Dollar, stated in a statement to ESPN.” Tory is deeply saddened by the loss of Devin and Chandler. She considerably appreciates the ongoing prayers, love and support she is receiving during her difficult healing.” She wants to express her

thankfulness to her whole medical team, as well as Ron Courson, who has actually worked with Tory and her physical injuries on a daily basis. Tory is dissatisfied that the Association and its insurance companies have required her to resort to litigation to address her life-altering injuries. “It is the second claim submitted against the UGA Athletic Association associated to the wreck. In May, Willock’s daddy took legal action against the athletic association, Carter and other defendants. Willock’s dad is seeking$40 million in damages.