Victoria “Tori” Bowles, a former football recruiting staffer at the University of Georgia, was fired on Monday, less than a month after she filed a lawsuit against the school’s athletic association and former player Jalen Carter. Bowles was seriously injured in a car crash on January 15, 2023, that killed Georgia offensive lineman Devin Willock and another recruiting staffer, Chandler LeCroy. The crash occurred just hours after a parade celebrating Georgia’s second straight national championship.
Bowles’ lawsuit, filed on July 14, 2023, alleges that the Georgia athletic association was negligent and reckless in entrusting the rented Ford Expedition to LeCroy, who had a history of speeding violations and was intoxicated at the time of the crash. The lawsuit also accuses Carter, a first-round NFL draft pick by the Philadelphia Eagles, of racing LeCroy at about 104 mph on a rural road near Athens, Georgia. The lawsuit seeks at least $171,595 in general damages, as well as punitive damages.
School says firing was not retaliatory
The school issued a statement saying that Bowles was dismissed because she refused to cooperate with an internal investigation into the crash. The statement said that Bowles was asked to provide information and documents related to the crash, but she failed to do so despite repeated requests. The statement also said that Bowles’ firing was not retaliatory and that the school had offered her support and assistance after the crash.
However, Bowles’ attorneys claim that she is being retaliated against for filing the lawsuit and that the school’s investigation is a sham. They say that Bowles has cooperated with the police investigation and that the school has no authority to conduct its own probe. They also say that Bowles has suffered severe physical and emotional injuries from the crash and that the school has shown no compassion or empathy for her.
Crash details reveal tragic circumstances
According to the police report, LeCroy had a blood-alcohol level of 0.18%, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08%. He also tested positive for marijuana and cocaine. The report said that LeCroy was racing Carter on Highway 15 when he lost control of the SUV, which swerved off the road, struck two utility poles and a tree before slamming into another tree on the driver’s side. LeCroy and Willock, who were sitting in the front seats, died instantly from blunt force trauma. Bowles, who was sitting in the backseat next to Willock, was trapped in the wreckage and had to be extricated by firefighters. She sustained multiple fractures, internal injuries, a spinal cord injury and a closed head injury with neurological damage.
Carter, who was driving a rented Dodge Charger, did not stop at the scene of the crash but returned later with another Georgia player, Warren McClendon, who was also in his car. Carter told the police that he did not know LeCroy was drunk or racing him and that he left because he panicked. He was not charged with any crime but was cited for speeding and driving without a license.
The crash shocked the Georgia football community and cast a shadow over the team’s historic season. Willock, a 20-year-old sophomore from New Jersey, was remembered as a gentle giant who had a bright future on and off the field. LeCroy, a 24-year-old graduate assistant from South Carolina, was praised for her dedication and enthusiasm for recruiting. Bowles, a 23-year-old from Georgia, was described as a hard-working and loyal staff member who loved football.
