Crash survivor, UGA settle; Carter suit continues
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Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior Writer
Victoria Bowles, who survived the fatal car wreck that killed a University of Georgia football player and recruiting staffer on Jan. 15, 2023, has settled her claims against the school’s athletics department, according to a court filing.
In an Aug. 29 filing in state court in Gwinnett County, Georgia, Bowles’ attorneys said in a motion that “as a result of a compromise and agreement entered between the parties” they were dismissing the UGA Athletic Association as a defendant in the case.
The terms of the settlement weren’t immediately known.
Bowles’ lawsuit against Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter and the estate of Chandler LeCroy, the recruiting staffer who was killed in the wreck, will continue.
“The parties agreed to resolve Ms. Bowles’ claim to avoid further litigation, without either party admitting fault or assigning fault,” UGA spokesperson Steven Drummond said in a statement.
Bowles’ attorney, Rob Buck, confirmed a settlement had been reached.
“Ms. Bowles will continue to seek justice in relation to her life-altering injuries against Jalen Carter, his LLC, and Ms. LeCroy’s estate,” Buck told ESPN.
Police accused Carter of racing the SUV being driven by LeCroy when it left the road and crashed into trees and utility poles hours after Georgia celebrated its back-to-back national championships at a ceremony at Sanford Stadium. Bulldogs offensive lineman Devin Willock was also killed in the wreck.
Bowles’ lawsuit alleged that the athletic association was negligent in allowing LeCroy to drive the SUV during her duties. Bowles’ lawyers contended that athletic officials were aware that “LeCroy had at least four speeding tickets, which included two ‘super speeder’ violations under Georgia law,” according to the complaint.
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.
Carter pleaded no contest in March 2023 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 noted 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 and 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.
Willock’s father and estate also sued the athletic association, Carter and others in a separate lawsuit.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez, like all football coaches, wants his players to show up on time, work hard and play their best.
Oh, and another thing: Don’t dance on TikTok.
“They’re going to be on it, so I’m not banning them from it,” he said Monday. “I’m just banning them from dancing on it. It’s like, look, we try to have a hard edge or whatever, and you’re in there in your tights dancing on TikTok, ain’t quite the image of our program that I want.”
Making TikTok dance videos is a popular activity among high school- and college-age users of the social media platform. Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, Boise State star Ashton Jeanty and Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola are among college football players who have posted dance videos.
Rodriguez is beginning his second stint as Mountaineers coach. He said he has talked to his players about the tendency in society to emphasize the individual rather than the team and that banning TikTok dancing is something he can do to put the focus where he thinks it belongs.
“I’m allowed to do that. I can have rules,” he said. “Twenty years from now, if they want to be sitting in their pajamas in the basement eating Cheetos and watching TikTok or whatever the hell, they can go at it, smoking cannabis, whatever. Knock yourself out.”
As for now, he said: “I hope our focus can be on winning football games. How about let’s win the football game and not worry about winning the TikTok?”
Dallas Stars forward Roope Hintz will be sidelined for a week with a facial injury but avoided a fracture.
General manager Jim Nill said Tuesday that Hintz has to keep his heart rate down for 5-7 days to avoid pressure or swelling.
Hintz, 28, was struck in the face by a puck midway through the second period in Saturday’s 5-4 loss at Edmonton. He did not return.
Hintz is tied for second on the Stars in goals (25) and is fourth in points (52) through 59 games this season.
He has 362 points (172 goals, 190 assists) in 451 career games in seven NHL seasons. Dallas drafted him in the second round in 2015.
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