Georgia AD, president address review of crash that killed Devin Willock, football staffer

Josh Brooks spoke in hushed tones at the start of his AD's report at the Georgia athletic board’s winter meeting Tuesday afternoon.

He was talking about the death of football player Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandlery LeCroy in a single-vehicle crash last month that injured two others from football program last month.

"We are in the middle of an unspeakably sad time, but our commitment to each other is not wavering," he said at the meeting in a conference room at the Georgia Center.

He reiterated the university is conducting an ongoing internal review, in coordination with legal counsel, to look into the circumstances surrounding the crash and is cooperating with law enforcement.

Brooks and UGA president Jere Morehead made their first public comments about the crash outside of statements released by Georgia athletics.

The 2021 Ford Expedition rented by UGA was traveling on Barnett Shoals Road from downtown Athens at about 2:45 a.m. Jan. 15 headed to a Waffle House close to the Gaines School Road intersection, according to police audio communication obtained by the Athens Banner-Herald in an open records request.

Police said the vehicle failed to negotiate a left curve, struck a curb and then a Georgia Power pole, another utility pole before hitting two trees and coming up against an apartment unit.

LeCroy, 24, was driving the vehicle. She was rushed to an area hospital where she died. Excessive speed was a contributing factor, according to the crash report. Willock, 20 was ejected from the SUV and died on the scene.

Toxicology and alcohol tests are still not back and the results may not be known until into March, according to Athens-Clarke County coroner Sonny Wilson on Tuesday.

Offensive lineman Warren McClendon, 21, sustained minor injuries in the crash while recruiting staffer Tori Bowles, 26, received more serious injuries.

"I want to say the entire university community continues to grieve the loss of Devin Willock and Chandler LeCroy," Morehead said during his AD’s report during the meeting. He said they "hope and pray for the full recovery of those injured in this tragic accident."

The crash came hours after a celebration for Georgia’s second straight national title was held in Sanford Stadium the afternoon of Jan. 14.

Morehead was asked after the meeting if any of the policies currently in place had given him pause. He said "so far I haven’t seen anything that has caused me concern. Obviously, we wish the vehicle had been turned in that evening, but this review is ongoing and I’m confident that if any procedures need to be changed — I’m not sure they will need to be changed — I’m confident that our athletic director and head coach will do whatever they need to do."

UGA athletics said last month and Brooks repeated again Tuesday that LeCroy was driving a vehicle rented by UGA for recruiting purposes but the use of the car with Bowles after recruiting activities ended that evening were unauthorized. Brooks said Tuesday that to his knowledge the university was unaware the car wasn’t turned in.

"All of our employees know that when their recruiting duties are done, cars should be turned in," Brooks said after the meeting. "In this situation, the car was not and the individual did not follow policy. It was used unauthorized after their work assignment was done."

Brooks said “operational staff members, people in ops,” oversee how recruiting vehicles are used and which staffers get to drive them.

Brooks was asked specifically what policies he and coach Kirby Smart are reviewing after the crash as UGA said previously it was doing.

"We’re going through everything and the processes and procedures and that," Brooks said. "That’s still ongoing right now. I don’t want to get into the specifics of that right now."

Brooks praised three associated with UGA athletics for their "exemplary service and sacrifice," in the aftermath of the crash: director of football player support & operations Bryant Gantt, team chaplain Thomas Settles and director of sports medicine Ron Courson.

He said they were "there to comfort families and help them grieve." Gantt arrived to the crash scene after reaching out to the Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters.

Police logs also listed Georgia linebackers Jamon Dumas-Johnson and Smael Mondon as people that police after the crash wanted to contact.

Asked if UGA has spoken to players at the initial crash scene, Brooks said: "I’m not going to comment on an open investigation. It’s still ongoing."

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia AD addresses review of crash that killed Devin Willock