Former Georgia staff member sues athletic department, Jalen Carter

New Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter’s past got dredged up again in a lawsuit filed by a woman who survived the January car crash.

In the days leading up to the NFL Draft, then-Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Jalen Carter was one of the most controversial rookies on the board due to his misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing.

Carter was involved in a fatal car crash that killed a Georgia football player and a recruiting staff member on January 15. Last March, he pleaded no contest to his charges and received a one-year probation sentence along with a fine, mandated community service, and mandated attendance for a defensive driving course.

Several months later, the woman who survived the crash, Victoria Bowles, is suing Carter as well as the University of Georgia Athletic Association, according to ESPN.

The lawsuit accuses Georgia’s athletic association of “negligence” and accuses Carter of illegally leaving the scene before the police arrived:

"“As Defendant Carter was aware at the time, he was jointly responsible for the crash, and had a legal duty to remain on the scene. Instead, in part obviously fearful of bad publicity and the effect on his NFL draft status, he hoped not to be questioned or take any responsibility for his actions.”"

Georegia, Jalen Carter get sued by former staffer who survived fatal car crash

Earlier this year, Carter’s draft stock took a tumble due to the media’s “character concerns,” his alleged weight issues, and the messy aftermath of the fatal crash.

The 2023 No. 9 overall pick by the Philadelphia Eagles may have thought he left his past behind him when he was drafted, but Carter is still getting hit with lawsuits left and right. A few months earlier, the father of the Georgia football player who was killed in the car crash also filed a suit against Carter, the UGA athletic association, and other defendants.

Regarding Georgia’s involvement in the crash, Bowles’ lawsuit claims the athletic association had knowledge that recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy was a “reckless and habitual speeder” and shouldn’t have allowed her permission to drive the vehicle that night on January 15.

The various filed lawsuits are an unfortunate development for Carter, who may have the shadow of the deadly car crash incident hanging over him for the rest of his NFL career.

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