Jalen Carter facing charges in crash that killed UGA football player and staffer. Here's what we know

Former Georgia football star Jalen Carter has been charged in a January car crash that killed a teammate and staff member and injured two others.

Carter, a junior projected to be picked in the top five of the upcoming NFL Draft, faces two misdemeanor charges in the Jan. 15 crash that killed 20-year-old Devin Willock and 24-year-old Chandler LeCroy. UGA offensive tackle Warren McClendon and recruiting staffer Tori Bowles were injured in the crash that occurred just hours after the Bulldogs celebrated their second straight national championship.

Carter was to appear at the NFL combine to speak to media about a half-hour before the news of the charges broke Wednesday.

“The investigation found that Chandler LeCroy, driver of the 2021 Ford Expedition, and Jalen Carter, driver of a 2021 Jeep Trackhawk, were operating their vehicles in a manner consistent with racing shortly after leaving the downtown Athens area at about 2:30 AM,” an Athens-Clarke County police press release said about the crash.

More on Jalen Carter:Warrants for Jalen Carter, former Georgia star, tied to crash that killed 2 from football

Alcohol involved:Police say alcohol, car racing were factors in crash that killed 2 in UGA football program

Remembering Devin Willock:An emotional Nolan Smith on the loss of teammate Devin Willock: '77, you’re living forever'

Who is Jalen Carter?

Jalen Carter is a defensive lineman who played for Georgia from 2020 through the 2022 season. He was a key piece on both the 2022 and '23 national championship teams. In his three seasons in Athens, Carter had 83 total tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss and six sacks.

Carter is from Apopka, Florida. He was a consensus first-team All-American his junior season and a finalist for the Lombardi Award, which goes to the nation's top lineman. At 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds, Carter is expected to be among the first taken in the 2023 NFL Draft.

More:UGA football star Jalen Carter releases statement after warrants issued related to fatal crash

What happened in the UGA car crash?

According to Athens-Clarke County police, a 2021 Ford Expedition driven by LeCroy was heading south in the outside lane of Barnett Shoals Road about 2:45 a.m. Jan. 15 when the vehicle left the roadway, striking two power poles and several trees in the 900 block of Barnett Shoals Road.

Police reported it as a single-vehicle crash.

Carter was driving alongside the Expedition in a 2021 Jeep Cherokee Blackhawk. The report says the cars were going 104 mph.

Was alcohol involved in the UGA crash?

Yes. Athens-Clarke County police said Wednesday that "alcohol impairment, racing, reckless driving, and speed were significant contributing factors to the crash" in January that killed Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy.

The police release continued that “evidence indicated that shortly before the crash the Expedition was traveling at about 104 miles per hour. The toxicology report indicated that LeCroy’s blood alcohol concentration was .197 at the time of the crash. Investigators determined that alcohol impairment, racing, reckless driving, and speed were significant contributing factors to the crash."

What was Jalen Carter charged with?

Athens-Clarke County police charged Carter with reckless driving and racing. Both are misdemeanors.

Was Jalen Carter driving a 2021 Jeep Trackhawk?

Carter told police he was driving the Jeep alongside LeCroy's Ford Expedition the night of the crash.

Who is Chandler LeCroy?

Chandler LeCroy was a 24-year-old recruiting analyst for the Georgia football team and a UGA grad.

LeCroy was a leadership graduate of Stephens County High in Toccoa and a “Double Dawg,” with a bachelor's degree in sports management and a masters degree in sport management and policy at UGA, according to her LinkedIn page.

Who is Devin Willock?

Devin Willock was a 20-year-old redshirt sophomore offensive lineman from New Milford, New Jersey. He was a three-star prospect out of Paramus Catholic High School, according to 247 Sports.

After redshirting the 2020 season at Georgia, Willock played in 12 games in 2021, including both the College Football Playoff semifinal vs. Michigan and the national championship game vs. Alabama. He played in all 13 games this season, including starts at guard against Tennessee on Nov. 5 and Kentucky on Nov. 19.

Who is Warren McClendon?

Warren McClendon has been a starting offensive tackle for Georgia the past three seasons. He needed only a couple of stitches in his forehead after he was a passenger in the Expedition that crashed, his father said in January.

“Lil Warren was in the car that was involved in the accident and he is doing well,” his father, Warren Sr., said via text message to the Athens Banner-Herald the afternoon of Jan. 15.

Where is Jalen Carter projected to be drafted?

Carter is a consensus top-5 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. has him going No. 4 overall. Some experts, including NFL.com's Daniel Jeremiah, have him going No. 1 overall.

Marc Weiszer and Fletcher Page contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: UGA car crash: What we know about Jalen Carter arrest warrant