Dave Willock Sr., the father of former University of Georgia football player Devin Willock, has filed a lawsuit against the school’s athletic association, Eagles’ first-round pick Jalen Carter and others over the January car crash that killed his son and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy. News of the lawsuit was first reported by WSBTV and later confirmed by The Athletic through a spokesperson with the Gwinnett County (Ga.) courthouse. Here’s what you need to know:
- Carter was charged with the two misdemeanors on March 1 after a police investigation concluded that Carter had been racing a car driven by LeCroy on the morning of Jan. 15. LeCroy’s car crashed, resulting in her death and the death of passenger Devin Willock, a Georgia offensive lineman.
- Carter later pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges of racing and reckless driving and was sentenced to 12 months probation, fined $1,000 and required to complete 80 hours of community service. Additionally, he must complete a state-approved driving course.
- Carter, a defensive tackle, was selected with the ninth pick of the 2023 NFL Draft by Philadelphia.
- Willock is seeking $30 million from the defendants in compensatory damages as well as an additional $10 million in punitive damages from Carter, according to the lawsuit.
UGA responds to lawsuit
“The attorneys who filed the complaint have refused to provide any factual basis for their claims against the athletic association, and we believe the evidence will prove them to be without merit. We intend to strongly dispute these baseless allegations in Court,” the University of Georgia athletic association said in a statement.
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(Photo: Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today)