Father of Georgia football player killed in crash seeks $40 million in damages: report
The father of the Georgia football player who died in the January car crash that killed two people has filed a lawsuit against the University of Georgia Athletic Association, accusing it of being liable for the accident that killed offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy, according to media reports.
The lawsuit also names former Georgia defensive tackle Jalen Carter, the LeCroy estate, and the Athens, Ga., strip club Toppers International Showbar, where the group met before the fatal accident, as defendants.
Willock's father, Dave, and the Willock estate are seeking $30 million from the defendants in compensatory damages and an additional $10 million in punitive damages from Carter, according to those who have seen the documents.
Willock's attorneys also notified the university's board of regents last month that they planned to seek $2 million in damages for Willock's wrongful death.
The car driven by LeCroy was being rented by the UGAAA and Willock's lawsuit alleges that Carter was driving on a suspended license from Florida while racing the SUV at speeds over 100 mph before the crash.
Willock and LeCroy died in the Jan. 15 accident, hours after Georgia celebrated its second-straight College Football Playoff national championship, and police allege that LeCroy was driving an SUV that was racing with Carter before the crash.
Carter was arrested on March 1 after leaving the 2023 NFL Combine and charged with reckless driving and street racing.
He pled no contest to charges and was given 12 months of probation, a $1,000 fine, 80 hours of community service, and was required to complete a state-mandated defensive driving course. Willock's lawsuit claims that Carter has a "pattern of excessive speeding."
Several current and now-former Georgia football players have been involved in major legal issues in the past few months.
Wide receiver RaRa Thomas was arrested this offseason on felony charges that were eventually dropped.
Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett was arrested while training in Dallas after police said he was banging on doors in the middle of the night while intoxicated and defender Jamon Dumas-Johnson was booked for racing and reckless driving.
Wide receiver De'Nylon Morrissette was arrested on multiple driving-related charges, including a DUI.
More college football from SI: Top 25 Rankings | Schedule | All Teams