Lawsuit: Georgia staff knew of
drinking at events, impermissible cash payments
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[January 12, 2024]
An amended court filing in the case of a former Georgia
football recruiting analyst seriously injured in a crash a year ago
contends staff members frequently drove vehicles rented by the
school's athletic association after drinking.
Additionally, attorneys representing the woman said coaches spent
money on recruits during unofficial visits, against NCAA rules.
The bombshell accusations were part of a report Thursday from the
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which reviewed court papers filed in
the case of Victoria "Tory" Bowles, the survivor of an accident that
killed a fellow member of the recruiting staff and a Bulldogs
football player.
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She is suing the Georgia Athletics Association, as well as the
estate of Chandler LeCroy, who was killed in the Jan. 15, 2023
crash, and Philadelphia Eagles rookie Jalen Carter. Carter pleaded
no contest to racing and reckless driving in March after being
linked to the accident. He was sentenced to probation and community
service.
LeCroy was driving a rented SUV when the vehicle veered off the road
and hit two power poles and several trees.
LeCroy was killed, as was Devin Willock, a Georgia offensive
lineman. Toxicology reports showed LeCroy had a blood alcohol
concentration of 0.197 percent -- nearly 2 1/2 times the Georgia
limit -- when the SUV she was driving was traveling 104 mph.
"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 the newspaper. "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."
A university official said the school is prepared to fight the
allegations.
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"We are reviewing the amended complaint, but we
dispute its claims and will vigorously defend the Athletic
Association's interests in court," said Steven Drummond, a Georgia
executive associate athletic director, per the newspaper.
The filing includes text messages purportedly from
Bowles' phone that discuss school staff members drinking at
football-related events, including one at head coach Kirby Smart's
house, warning them not to consume too much alcohol.
"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," read
one text message from 2019, reportedly from a staff member. "It will
be a bad look if we have people who are supposed to be driving
recruits getting lit."
Bowles' amended lawsuit also touches upon what she alleges was a
practice of coaches and staff paying for a recruit's expenses during
unofficial visits, which is not permitted.
"Ms. Bowles was aware from her own observations and from prior
communications from her superiors of UGA football coaches' use of
cash in recruiting activities involving unofficial visits prior to
that evening," the filing reads, per the Journal-Constitution.
Since filing her initial lawsuit last summer, Bowles was fired from
her job. In her case, she is seeking nearly $200,000 for medical
bills, lost wages and unspecified damages.
--Field Level Media
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