A former Georgia defensive lineman, Jalen Carter, who could potentially be the number one overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft, was booked into jail on Wednesday night with charges of reckless driving and racing on highways and streets.
Carter was originally in Indianapolis taking part in the NFL Scouting Combine before going back to Atlanta where an arrest warrant had been issued for his alleged involvement in a crash then ended up killing one of his Georgia teammates as well as another member on the football team. Carter was booked at 11:33 p.m. ET in the Athens-Clarke County Jail and was released at 11:49 p.m. ET.
Carter released a statement saying he would be “fully exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing.” The full statement reads, “This morning I received a telephone call from the Athens, Georgia, police department informing me that two misdemeanor warrants have been issued against me for reckless driving and racing, Numerous media reports also have circulated this morning containing inaccurate information concerning the tragic events of January 15, 2023. It is my intention to return to Athens to answer the misdemeanor charges against me and 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.”
Meanwhile, Georgia coach Kirby Smart stated, “The charges announced today are deeply concerning, especially as we are still struggling to cope with the devastating loss of two beloved members of our community, We will continue to cooperate fully with the authorities while supporting these families and assessing what we can learn from this horrible tragedy.”
Georgia offensive lineman Warren McClendon just announced that he plans on entering the NFL Draft, and received minor injuries during the crash. While a football staffer, Victoria Bowles had to be hospitalized due to more serious injuries.
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