Docs: UGA staffers routinely drove after drinking
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Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior Writer
Football recruiting staffers at the University of Georgia routinely drove rented vehicles after consuming alcohol, according to court documents filed Thursday by attorneys representing a former staffer who was seriously injured in a January 2023 car wreck that killed a Bulldogs player and another staff member.
In an amended complaint filed in state court in Gwinnett County (Georgia), the attorneys also alleged that UGA assistant football coaches used cash to pay for recruiting expenses during unofficial recruiting visits, which could be a violation of NCAA rules.
Victoria Bowles, who survived the car crash that killed Bulldogs offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting staff member Chandler LeCroy on Jan. 15, 2023, sued the University of Georgia Athletic Association, former Georgia player Jalen Carter, LeCroy’s estate and others for damages in July.
Police alleged that LeCroy and Carter, now a rookie with the Philadelphia Eagles, were racing when the SUV being driven by LeCroy left the road and crashed into a utility pole and trees. The lawsuit said LeCroy’s SUV was traveling at least 104.2 mph when it crashed and had been racing another SUV driven by Carter for 45 seconds or less. Police said LeCroy’s blood alcohol concentration was .197, nearly 2½ times the legal limit in Georgia.
“We are reviewing the amended complaint, but we dispute its claims and will vigorously defend the Athletic Association’s interest in court,” a university spokesperson said in a statement Thursday.
The UGA Athletic Association previously said LeCroy didn’t have permission to drive the rented SUV for personal use.
“The UGA Athletic Association denies that Ms. LeCroy had permission to drive the subject SUV (in its words) ‘to downtown Athens for a night of drinking and partying,'” the amended complaint said. “While this language is inflammatory as to what occurred the night of the crash, text messages provide evidence that football staffers, with the Association’s knowledge, regularly drove recruits and their guests after consuming alcohol at Athens’ restaurants and bars.”
The amended complaint alleged that “text messages show that on occasion supervisors and coaches, in effect, encouraged recruiting staff to drink alcohol with football prospects’ families-well aware that staffers would leave the events after consuming alcohol.”
“Association coaches and staff regularly drank alcohol at UGA football Coach Kirby Smart’s residence during recruiting events, and then, in Association SUVs, returned recruits’ families and guests back to their lodging,” the complaint said. “The Association and UGA coaches were well aware that involved alcohol, in Association SUVs.”
The amended complaint included a Dec. 14, 2019, text message purportedly sent to 13 staff members by then-UGA director of player personnel Marshall Malchow that said: “Hey guys… if you are driving you can have fun at Coach Smarts but if you are driving a recruit make sure you don’t get drunk. It will be a bad look if we have people who are supposed to be driving recruits getting lit.”
In a Feb. 22, 2022, text message, another athletic association employee told recruiting staff members that an associate athletic director said to turn a downtown Athens restaurant “into a bar with [recruits’] families and don’t leave.”
“My client’s iPhone survived the crash fully intact and contains thousands of pages of recruiting texts describing the inner workings of UGA’s recruiting activities,” Bowles’ attorney, Rob Buck, said in a statement to ESPN. “The new texts included in the Amended Complaint establish that the Association was fully aware recruiting staffers were regularly allowed to drive recruits and their families around Athens after drinking alcohol at Association sponsored events. Some texts even show that football coaches and recruiting supervisors, in effect, encouraged staffers to drink with football prospects’ families.
“The texts contradict the Association’s pleadings and public statements to its fan base. The texts document that the Association knowingly allowed football staffers to drive Association SUVs while drinking even if UGA had policies stating otherwise.”
The amended complaint also alleges that Bowles is aware of UGA football coaches using cash in recruiting activities involving unofficial visits. NCAA rules prohibit coaches and staff members from paying for expenses for recruits and their families during unofficial visits, including lodging, meals, entertainment and travel costs.
Bowles’ original complaint said Bulldogs assistant coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe asked her to use his ATM card to get $1,000 in cash at a recruiting dinner during an unofficial recruiting visit on Jan. 14, 2023. The ATM card didn’t work, so she drove to her home to get money. The complaint said Uzo-Diribe paid her back via Venmo. The athletic association previously said in a statement that it assumed the cash was for Uzo-Diribe’s personal use.
The lawsuit accuses Carter of illegally leaving the scene without speaking to law enforcement and failing to render aid. Carter pleaded no contest March 16 to misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing. He was sentenced to 12 months of probation, a $1,000 fine and 80 hours of community service and will attend a state-approved defensive driving course.
According to Bowles’ attorneys, she has incurred more than $170,000 in medical expenses and suffered “likely permanent disability.” Among her injuries included in the lawsuit are three lumbar fractures, five fractured vertebrae, 10 broken ribs, a broken clavicle, fractured and cracked teeth, kidney and liver lacerations, a punctured and collapsed lung, and abdominal bleeding.
The lawsuit said Bowles also suffered a closed head injury that caused neurological damage, severe eye pain and, according to her neurosurgeon, significant damage to the membrane that surrounds the nerves of her spinal cord, which can progress to permanent paralysis.
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Jesse Rogers
CHICAGO — Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino started pointing toward the locker of teammate Seth Lugo after their 8-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. Lugo, 35, had just pitched six solid innings in sweltering heat, leading Kansas City to its 50th win of the season.
“I’d like to see him pitch for us again,” Pasquantino said while pointing. “I’d really like to see him in a Royals jersey in his next start. We’re trying to make that happen. That’s up to us.”
The Royals are one of the bubble teams in the American League, having picked up some ground on the wild-card leaders after taking two of three from the Cubs. But they are still three games under .500 as the MLB trade deadline approaches next week. Lugo would be an attractive player for another team, as he is set to become a free agent, assuming he turns down his player option for next season.
Kansas City should do well in a trade if it chooses to move him. Lugo’s ERA sits at 2.95 after he gave up two runs in his six innings Wednesday.
“His name is prevalent, especially here [Chicago],” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said before the game. “I’m aware of that. We talked about it openly, understanding we like what we have here. We believe if we can string some good games together, we can get back in this thing.”
If they can’t get back in it, the Cubs are among the teams expected to be interested in Lugo’s services. Their starting pitching after top guys Shota Imanaga and All-Star Matthew Boyd is suspect. Righty Colin Rea gave up three home runs Wednesday, two to Pasquantino. Lugo easily outpitched him, giving up four hits and two walks while striking out six on an extremely hitter-friendly day at Wrigley Field. The wind was blowing out, but Lugo kept the ball in the park.
Afterward, he was asked how he keeps his mind focused considering the rumors swirling around him.
“You don’t think about it,” he said. “You worry about the start. That’s it.”
Lugo was pleased to hear Pasquantino go to bat for him. He said he’d rather stay and win with the Royals than be shipped out.
“I want to be here through the thick and thin,” he said. “It’s a good team. We just have to be more consistent and we’ll be all right.”
Kansas City has hovered around the .500 mark all season but hasn’t been able to get over the hump in the wild-card race. The win Wednesday drew the Royals within four games of the final wild-card spot but with four teams to overcome.
Quatraro waved off the trade talk, citing the unpredictability of the season after the deadline. No matter what his front office does, he wants his team to continue to push.
“You can add to your team and not play as well,” he said. “You can subtract from your team and play better. Or you can stay status quo and get hot.”
Pasquantino added: “It’s a business. Teams have to make business decisions, but as far as I’m concerned, I want [Lugo] in Royals blue for the rest of the season.”
After a day off Thursday, the Royals begin a homestand that will take them through the deadline on July 31. Lugo would be in line to start against the Atlanta Braves next week before the deadline, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll take the mound as scheduled.
“Start today,” he said. “Off day tomorrow, and it’s back to work after that. Control what I can control. Go about my routine. Go about my business.”
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