Georgia fires recruiting staffer involved in fatal January crash that also implicated Jalen Carter. What do we know?
In a move that is sure to be divisive, the University has taken what appears to be a harsh stance on the surface, but as you can imagine, there’s more to it.
Back in January the collegiate football fraternity was rocked by news of a fatal crash involving members of the Georgia Bulldogs team. Some of those involved were set to be selected high in the 2023 NFL Draft which is to say there was an intense amount of focus on the tragic scenario and those who survived it, including defensive lineman Jalen Carter and a recruiting staffer.
Georgia fires staff member Victoria Bowles
According to reports, Georgia has fired a recruiting staffer, Victoria Bowles, who is a survivor of the January car crash that killed Bulldogs offensive lineman Devin Willock and fellow recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy. News of the decisions arrives just under a month after Bowles filed a lawsuit against both the University of Georgia Athletic Association and Jalen Carter himself. The suit accuses the defensive lineman of negligence by association and false claims about the details of the fatal accident itself. In a statement released by the school, Bowles’ dismissal was attributed to her alleged refusal to cooperate with an investigation into the crash.
“Applicable policies require university employees to cooperate with internal investigations,” Georgia’s statement claimed. “Over the course of several months, Ms. Bowles was asked - on numerous occasions - to speak with our investigators and provide information, and through her attorney, she repeatedly refused to cooperate. As a result, we were ultimately left with no choice but to terminate her employment.”
What do we know about Victoria Bowles situation?
As per reports, the athletic department placed Bowles on unpaid leave back in March, which is interesting because prior to that moment she had been placed on paid medical leave during the immediate aftermath of the crash. Where Bowles’ position is concerned, her attorney Rob Buck has claimed that her dismissal was nothing more than retaliation in light of the fact that she filed a lawsuit against the institution. “Tory, like all other perceived liabilities to the football program, became expendable to UGA, and despite her loyalty and meager salary, has been steamrolled,” Buck told the media.
If you caught our report at the time, you will know that the crash in question occurred less than a week after the Bulldogs defeated TCU to clinch their second national title in as many seasons. LeCroy is said to have been racing Carter at the time before losing control of the vehicle he was driving - a car leased by the school itself - which resulted in his own death as well as that of Willock who was a passenger in the car.