Teens Realize They Accidentally Killed Their Best Friends

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Transcript

SPEAKER_05 0:12

Jalen, Sergeant Shulty with the police department. Sorry we got a meet like this, bud.

SPEAKER_00 0:17

This is 21-year-old Jalen Carter, just hours after celebrating one of the biggest moments of his life with his teammates, as his future in professional football officially begins.

SPEAKER_05 0:27

Alright, so the next question I'm gonna ask you, I need you to be honest with me, okay? Were you guys racing to Waffle House?

SPEAKER_00 0:33

But what no one at that celebration realized yet is that later that night, those same friends were involved in a high-speed crash that would leave multiple bodies at the scene.

SPEAKER_05 0:42

How many people were in the car with y'all? Four people, one male and two other females. You play for the university? Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_00 0:48

As police begin working the aftermath, what initially appears to be a tragic accident quickly becomes something much darker. As the truth behind the brutal 109 miles per hour crash came into focus. Investigators realized this would become one of the most devastating crashes ever connected to the University of Georgia.

SPEAKER_04 1:14

One on the ground.

SPEAKER_00 1:38

Just minutes after the University of Georgia's national championship celebrations had ended. But as officers began canvassing the scene, it became clear this incident involved multiple vehicles traveling at dangerous speeds, resulting in a fatality. And what the officers were about to witness would shock even the most experienced officers.

SPEAKER_12 2:25

Oh yeah.

unknown 2:26

Okay.

SPEAKER_12 2:36

No boss.

SPEAKER_15 2:36

No boss.

SPEAKER_08 2:41

Are you interested in the car before? No, it's just wrong.

SPEAKER_15 2:52

Uh he's just leave him like better.

SPEAKER_05 3:01

Central Letting MS know the easiest way for them to get to us is to come into the apartment complex where this is at. He was ejected. I need the traffic supervisor now.

SPEAKER_00 3:09

The first responding officers arrived expecting to assess a crash scene, but were quickly pulled into a rescue mission. At that point, they had no idea how many people were inside or what had led to the wreck. However, one individual had been inside the vehicle and managed to jump out before the crash. Officers rushed to him, trying to determine whether he was injured and how many others had been in the car.

SPEAKER_07 3:36

Okay. Anyone else? There were three four of you. Where's the other?

SPEAKER_02 3:41

There's one on the ground that was sitting in front of the car, one in the driver's seat, one on the sidewalk.

SPEAKER_07 3:47

Where's the other one?

SPEAKER_02 3:48

She was sitting right here. Um, I did not hear that she went out with when the stars already came down there, but she was sitting right here where that white female, white female?

SPEAKER_07 3:59

White female?

SPEAKER_02 3:59

Yeah, white female. I'm not the one that was in the driver's.

unknown 4:02

Okay.

SPEAKER_07 4:06

None of them over there. Who was driving, bud? Uh, the female. The young lady that's in the driver are in the driver's seat currently. Alright, so we have a female outstanding. What was she wearing, do you know?

SPEAKER_02 4:20

She was wearing a hoodie and jeans, it looked like, but she was trouting.

SPEAKER_07 4:24

What? Yeah, no, no, no, it's a white female that we're looking for.

SPEAKER_04 4:29

Did you get a hoodie? Yeah, I've got two white females. Okay, white female.

SPEAKER_07 4:33

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_00 4:34

Four individuals had been inside the vehicle. Two men, Devin Willock and Warren McClendon Jr., and two women, Chandler LaCroix and Victoria Bowles. Of the four, Warren McClendon Jr. was the only one able to stand on his own. With that information given by Warren McClendon Jr., officers and firefighters at the scene shifted their focus to a single priority: getting the remaining occupants out of the vehicle before time ran out.

SPEAKER_15 5:05

I got no pulse. No balls. No pulse.

SPEAKER_06 5:12

No pulse.

SPEAKER_05 5:13

Melanium S know the easiest way for you to get for us is to come into the apartment complex where this is at. He was ejected. I need the traffic supervisor now.

SPEAKER_08 5:25

I'm getting nothing. God damn it.

SPEAKER_09 5:33

Hey, how's it going?

SPEAKER_00 6:15

Unfortunately, one thing was already clear. Devin Willock had been ejected from the vehicle, and the injuries he sustained would ultimately prove fatal. As officers turned their attention to the remaining occupants, they didn't yet realize this crash would claim another life before the night was over.

SPEAKER_04 6:38

Yeah, we got one patient in the car unresponsive, one on the ground.

SPEAKER_05 7:01

I got one more up here in the cab. I can't. I got I got this. Try to peel this damn door over this. All right, good right there.

SPEAKER_06 7:49

She doesn't have a fault either.

SPEAKER_05 7:50

Not that I felt. I think her back's broke the way she slumped down like that. Or her neck.

SPEAKER_06 8:03

Um, we're gonna have two sitting seven.

SPEAKER_00 8:07

While one team worked to remove the driver, Chandler LaCroix, the other focused on Victoria Bowles on the rear passenger side. But as rescue efforts continued, the situation began to deteriorate rapidly. Victoria Bowles appeared to be suffering from severe trauma, disoriented and unable to recall that she had even been involved in a crash.

SPEAKER_14 8:29

Um that works standard.

SPEAKER_06 8:44

She got an ID on her.

SPEAKER_02 8:49

She's got a she's got a what is it?

SPEAKER_14 8:54

O T O L E S. Don't you guys need to 301?

SPEAKER_12 9:01

Huh? I think you promised someone is on the rat. I'm sorry. I wasn't gonna stay still. I wasn't on the rat. Stay still. Wait, no, no, no, I wasn't on the rut. Where were you? I think you promised I was on the rut. Wait, that makes me sad. Someone else wasn't eating you. No. I think you promised someone else need y'all. It's not moving. No, I think you promised. I was not on the moving.

SPEAKER_14 9:38

It's not moving.

SPEAKER_12 9:41

Is Chandler leave for your own? Chandler. Chandler. What? This is the driver. Like me?

SPEAKER_11 9:53

Yeah, the bolts on putting on backboard now.

SPEAKER_10 9:59

Yeah, we don't go up or we don't roll up.

SPEAKER_12 10:04

Alright, ready? One, two, three. You said you didn't want to. Because they were wrecked. No, I think you promised like I wasn't in the wreck. Wait, wait, wait. No, I swear to God.

SPEAKER_10 10:26

Wait, I know you wouldn't.

SPEAKER_12 10:27

Wait, wait, well then why am I but you shot up?

SPEAKER_10 10:29

Because you weren't in a wreck. No, no. You've got a head trauma, you can't remember what happened. You're going out this way.

SPEAKER_00 10:34

Once medics shifted their focus to Victoria Bowles, all attention turned to the driver, Chandler LaCroix. Officers were able to get her out of the vehicle, but her condition quickly worsened. Her pulse faded, then returned, only to fade again, leaving responders fighting to stabilize someone who was barely clinging to life.

SPEAKER_07 10:55

Okay. Well, we'll work.

SPEAKER_06 11:00

I can't even pretty much.

SPEAKER_10 11:06

I got you.

SPEAKER_06 11:06

You get that. We don't even have one headline. Uh let's go ahead and start carrying that.

SPEAKER_10 11:17

Here. I got your right. I got your left side if you need it. How's this work? I don't know. You gotta say it doesn't make it look so easy.

SPEAKER_02 11:32

You better get that out. I got it. I'll get it. I'll get it. I'll get it. You guys are good.

SPEAKER_06 11:37

Oh, you just have to push it in. It's that simple. Yeah. No worries. Oh yeah. Laura, they said they're finding the pulse on her, so guys, just slide her on. This isn't going anywhere. Let's get her strapped in. That strap is still on.

SPEAKER_02 11:55

I got this. 60 can you do? So you gotta grab that.

SPEAKER_06 11:59

Continue CPR compressors, please. We got one more. Here we go.

SPEAKER_02 12:05

Just make sure it's in.

SPEAKER_06 12:11

Can somebody jump over here? Yeah, he's coming up here. Jump over here, take over the pressure.

unknown 12:19

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 12:20

With everyone involved in the crash either receiving treatment or on the way to the hospital, officers on scene began questioning potential witnesses. One individual stood out, Warren McClendon Jr., the only person to escape without major injuries. As a result, attention quickly turned to him. One officer approached McClendon Jr. to gather more information, while another canvassed the surrounding area, checking with nearby residents to see if anyone had seen or heard anything before the crash.

SPEAKER_05 12:54

Where were y'all coming from downtown? Going to Waffle House. Going to the Waffle House down there? What happened?

SPEAKER_03 13:01

To be honest, I don't know. We just came around the corner, and next thing you know, I was looking down at my phone.

SPEAKER_05 13:05

Was she moving? Was she flying? I'm assuming there's a white female driving? Oh. How fast do you think y'all were going?

SPEAKER_03 13:14

I couldn't tell, sir. I'm sure.

SPEAKER_05 13:16

Okay. Do you know the people that were in the car with you? Uh Devin, Tori, and um Chandler. Devin, Tory, and Chandler?

SPEAKER_03 13:26

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 13:27

How do you know them?

SPEAKER_03 13:29

Through uh football.

SPEAKER_05 13:31

Do you play for the university?

SPEAKER_03 13:32

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_05 13:34

Who's the other player? I think the white male that's on the ground.

SPEAKER_02 13:39

I mean black male.

SPEAKER_05 13:41

Alright, do me a favor. Sit down. Besides bleed a little bit anywhere, you heard anywhere else? No, sir. Did you get ejected out of the car or did you walk out? I have my seatbelt on. I was walk- I climbed out the window. Which seat were you in? The front passenger. You were the front passenger.

SPEAKER_04 13:56

This one I'm gonna go down, alright?

SPEAKER_05 13:58

Okay. What's the young lady's name that was driving?

SPEAKER_04 14:01

Uh Janet. That's all I know. I don't know.

SPEAKER_05 14:03

You don't know her last name, buddy? Okay. Whose SUV was that? I have no clue. I'm assuming hers, maybe? Yeah. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 14:11

When officers spoke with Warren McClendon Jr., he appeared disoriented and claimed he didn't remember what had happened. He repeatedly said he hadn't been paying attention, offering little detail that could explain how the crash occurred. With no clear answers coming from him, another officer expanded the investigation, going to the only family that was present at the time to see if any neighbors had witnessed or heard something that could help reconstruct exactly what happened that night.

SPEAKER_02 14:37

That one I think was following them. Right, but it that vehicle? Yeah, I think that they were following. Yeah, because it was just this vehicle that was involved. So it's gonna be a big mess, probably. Four. And they four in the one car, and they are UGA football players, so it's probably gonna be a uh bad day out here.

SPEAKER_11 14:59

They're all UGA.

SPEAKER_02 15:02

No, no, no, no, no I believe they were all students. Two of them are players. And I don't want to tell you guys too much, I apologize, but the one that's over here was a football player, so that's why it's gonna take a while to probably get the scene all figured out. So we got the team coming out here. It's just gonna be a lot happening for a while.

SPEAKER_00 15:19

I'm sorry about that, but unsurprisingly, the neighbors offered little help. Instead, many of them were asking officers the same question: what had happened? The investigation appeared to be stalling. But just as it seemed there was nothing left to go on, a teammate from the football team arrived at the scene, trying to piece together what had happened. What officers didn't yet realize was that this individual would soon prove to be far more involved than anyone expected?

SPEAKER_05 15:53

Jalen? Sergeant Schulty with the police department. Sorry we got a meet like this, bud. Alright, so the two players that drive that thing were telling me they got a phone call from you telling them the wreck happened. How did you know about the wreck? Heard it. Heard it from where, bud? Where were you at? I was supposed to wear it up there. Down at Icon? Okay. You heard this wreck from that far down the road? How far behind them were you? Rough guess. Could you see the taillights on their car? Okay. So you are, I'm guessing, following them to waffle house. So they're ahead of you. Rough guess. How far ahead do you think? 100 yards, 200 yards, 50 yards. Let's try this. See the patrol car with uh just the parking lamps on and the little blue lights that are staying still? Were you that far behind them or farther than that?

SPEAKER_03 17:08

You don't need to be.

SPEAKER_05 17:11

Oh yeah. Okay. So you're you're close enough to them to at least see the tail lights of the car. Okay. How fast were y'all going? What were you driving? What kind of car is buddy? Okay. You're not too far behind. So you see them go through this, this pops, you go underneath it before this falls down, and you come to a stop on the other side of it. Did you call 911 after you called your teammates? Alright, so the next question I'm gonna ask you, I need you to be honest with me, okay? Were you guys racing to Waffle House? Because I can tell you right now from looking at the damage that car, they were moving.

SPEAKER_03 18:02

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 18:02

What makes you say that?

SPEAKER_03 18:04

I seen them downtown, but I wouldn't feel like I was with them. I was just walking. It was a massive emails. Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_05 18:11

You know who was driving that one? I think it was one of the girls. Okay, how do you know the girls? What do they do? Part of football? Anybody part of football? Okay, what do they do for the team? Oh, okay. I I just figured you knew, right?

SPEAKER_00 18:26

The teammate was identified as Jalen Carter, someone who claimed to have witnessed the crash unfold. But when officers questioned him, Carter offered very little detail about what had happened. By that point, suspicion had already begun to form. What Jalen didn't know was that officers were already familiar with his driving history. There had been multiple prior traffic stops for speeding, incidents that immediately shaped how his statements were interpreted.

SPEAKER_01 18:55

I stopped Darnell Washington. I just stopped Dylan Fairchild. I just stopped. Well, actually not stopped yesterday. Uh Fairchild just stopped like a minute ago. He's going 70 right here. I don't need to slow down, dude.

SPEAKER_00 19:10

That's why officers asked him directly whether he had been speeding that night. And while his answer offered little clarity, what he did give was a better idea on how the crash played out. He told investigators they had been driving behind the vehicle and noticed its speeding while the occupants appeared intoxicated. As the car approached a curve, it lost control, struck overhead power lines, and was launched across a wooded field before coming to rest just outside a nearby neighborhood parking lot. Meanwhile, medics rushed Chandler LaCroix toward the hospital, fighting to keep her alive as the ambulance spent through the night. Along the way, there were brief signs of progress. For a moment, it appeared she might survive, but that hope wouldn't last. Because while responders were focused on saving her life, the damage caused by the crash was far more severe than anyone realized.

SPEAKER_06 20:05

I'll just get up and you care. Excuse me, when we cut one, two, three. Go ahead. Go ahead and shut that door. Nope! Hey, can you put this on the legs, someone? On the legs, on the legs, watch out a rest for that. Yep. It's on your text.

SPEAKER_10 20:45

Push in. Remember, push in. Is it up or in? Push. Like straight in. Ready? Yep. Got it? Yep.

SPEAKER_15 21:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 21:14

Hello. Hello. We are coming here with a chain dough. Yum20. Uh significant MVC with a DOA in the same vehicle. She was the driver. She was the train. She had the extricated. Uh, she's been unresponsive the whole entire 302 says they saw the fateful when they were getting her out. Uh by the time we got there, she was full-flip after the X. She's an Asian playing fire. Significant blood in the oral locality, significant block in the left for the left forehead.

SPEAKER_00 21:51

Uh despite every effort by medics, Chandler LaCroix could not be saved. The injuries she sustained in the crash were fatal, and she was later pronounced dead at the hospital. Over the next few weeks, investigators began working backwards from the crash. They interviewed multiple members of the football. Ball program, not because everyone was suspected, but because the truth of that night didn't live at the crash site. It lived in the minutes leading up to it. Piece by piece, officers tried to reconstruct who was driving with who, where each vehicle had been, and what the group had been doing before the impact. They weren't just looking for a timeline, they were looking for consistency. Because if this had truly been a tragic accident, the stories should have lined up. But if the accounts didn't match, if key details were missing, then it meant the crash might not have been the full story. And as investigators closed in on those unanswered minutes, one question began to matter more than any other. Was this simply a fatal accident? Or had something far more reckless led to it? Now, imagine seeing so much more. Well, that's why we went all out and decided to create channels in every niche, which are still based on true crime for you to enjoy. I mean, who doesn't like seeing people's reactions like these? From no commentary to just interrogation, because I know some of you guys hate that, but that's not the end. We really enjoy what we are building, so we have an exclusive Patreon community where they get first hand access to anything we post and all uncensored footage and images. And some of the things are truly horrifying. With few answers to work from, officers began pursuing new leads, hoping someone could help untangle what had really happened.

SPEAKER_16 23:52

Hey, Mr. Carter. Yes, sir. Hey, good afternoon. This is uh Officer Trotter with Addins Car County Police Department.

SPEAKER_11 23:59

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_16 23:59

Hey, so I was giving you another call back. Um, we spoke the first time during our interview, and you said that you might be able to uh get the name of the female that you were with that night.

SPEAKER_09 24:10

Alright.

SPEAKER_16 24:11

Uh do you remember at all?

SPEAKER_09 24:13

Uh I said not a name, but I have her number if you want it back.

SPEAKER_16 24:18

Okay. What what's her telephone number? Do you remember like a uh first name at all or what you called her at the time or uh no sir. Okay. Alright. Um, alright, well, I'll give her a phone call. I appreciate it. Yes, sir. All right, sir.

SPEAKER_00 24:33

The next move for investigators was strategic. They needed to determine whether Jalen had anyone who could corroborate his account, someone who could confirm he wasn't directly involved in what led up to the crash. That question mattered, especially given Jalen's known history with speeding, which had already placed him under early suspicion. Adding to that concern was a detail Jalen had mentioned days earlier. He claimed there had been a woman in his car the night of the crash. With that information in hand, investigators moved quickly. Before stories could change or memories could fade, officers set out to find her, knowing her account could either reinforce Jalen's version of events or unravel it entirely.

SPEAKER_16 25:14

Yes. Hey, good afternoon. This is Officer Trotter with Addins Car County Police Department. How are you? I'm good. How are you? I'm doing well. Hey, so I was calling in reference to um the uh UGA collision that occurred on January 15th. Alright. Um, were you in the vehicle with Jalen Carter during that time?

SPEAKER_13 25:34

Yes, I was in the vehicle.

SPEAKER_16 25:35

Okay. Um, is there any chance that you will be able to come by and uh speak with us?

SPEAKER_13 25:42

Um, in person?

SPEAKER_16 25:44

Uh yes, ma'am.

SPEAKER_13 25:45

Okay, the only thing is I am having car troubles right now.

SPEAKER_16 25:48

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_13 25:49

So I don't have like I don't have a car right now.

SPEAKER_16 25:51

Where are you at currently?

SPEAKER_13 25:53

My car's in the shop.

SPEAKER_16 25:55

I got you. Where are you at currently?

SPEAKER_13 25:57

I live at the retreat. Well, I can I go to UGA, but I live at the retreat.

SPEAKER_16 26:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_13 26:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_16 26:03

Are you at the retreat currently? Okay. If uh if I come out there, will you have a conversation? You okay with that?

SPEAKER_13 26:12

Yeah, that's fine.

SPEAKER_16 26:13

Okay. Alright. Um uh how long are you gonna be there? Are you planning on staying there all evening?

SPEAKER_13 26:19

Um, I actually have to go to work today at five.

SPEAKER_16 26:22

Okay. Um, if I make it out there in the next 20 minutes, would that be sufficient for you?

SPEAKER_13 26:27

Yeah, that's fine.

SPEAKER_16 26:29

Okay, thank you, ma'am. See you shortly. Okay. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 26:32

Once investigators arranged a time to meet, they wasted no time. An officer headed straight to her apartment complex, knowing her account could change the course of the investigation.

SPEAKER_16 26:43

Hey, you have to step inside again. Okay. Uh it just depends on you whether you wanted the privacy or not. I'm fine with standing outside of your. Okay. Alright. So, pretty much all I'm asking about is the collision that occurred on the morning of January 15th. Um, how your name came up is you were added as a witness into the call. Um Do you remember speaking to anyone on scene while you were there?

SPEAKER_14 27:14

No, I was in the car.

SPEAKER_16 27:16

Okay. I'm just wondering how your name essentially got got put in the R call.

SPEAKER_14 27:43

So you didn't speak with anybody or no, I made like that was I made the initial call. So I was in the car, but I made the first call.

SPEAKER_16 27:50

Okay, so you're the one that called in the 911?

unknown 27:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_16 27:52

Okay. Alright, that makes sense. Um, so you meet up downtown, and then what happens after that?

SPEAKER_14 27:58

Um, that's when we were going to Waffle House, and then I mean, I'm gonna be honest, I don't pretty much remember much from that night because it's been over a month and I was like under the influence. Okay. So I do remember we were going to Waffle House that night, but um, I just know me, I wasn't with him that whole night. It was just only when I was sleeping with him in the group that was in the other car, but I just I didn't I don't know.

SPEAKER_16 28:20

Okay, arsenals you're in the front passenger seat. Is there anyone in the vehicle with y'all other than y'all two? Okay. So you're in the passenger seat, Jalen's dropping. All right. So then y'all are going down Barnett Shoals. Can you remember anything about that?

SPEAKER_14 28:34

I mean, I can I remember a little bit. I just remember like we were like behind, but like as far as I remember, is like she didn't like make the turn. I'm not sure like what exactly happened, but that's what I remember seeing. Okay. And that's like pretty much as like much as I can remember from that night. And then then when I called, that's what I like. I guess like she hit that's what I when I called, I saw that she not saw that she hit a poll, but like I seen like stuff like it was coming down in the street. So then when I called, that's when I called that someone hit a pole.

SPEAKER_16 29:04

Okay. During those 10 to 20 times, did you ever drive? Was it the same vehicle every time?

SPEAKER_14 29:10

Yes.

SPEAKER_16 29:10

Okay. And would you ever drive? Or it was his vehicle?

SPEAKER_14 29:16

It was his.

SPEAKER_16 29:17

Okay. So this black Jeep Cherokee is his car. You've been in it before, you've been in it 10 to 20 times, and it's his vehicle, it's one that he always drives.

SPEAKER_14 29:26

Yeah, that's his car. Yeah.

SPEAKER_16 29:27

Okay. Have you ever seen anybody else drive them?

unknown 29:30

No.

SPEAKER_16 29:30

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 29:31

What Pierce doesn't realize is that every question she's answering is quietly narrowing the scope of the investigation. It's an investigative interview, a controlled conversation designed to do one of two things: clear her entirely, or place her closer to the truth of what happened. That's why the officer's demeanor subtly shifts as the questions change. The focus moves to the car, who usually drives it, whether she's ever driven it herself, and when the roles may have changed. They're used to quietly eliminate possibilities, rule people out, and determine who can and can't be tied to the events of that night. And by the time the interview ends, the officer will know whether Pierce walks away completely, or whether her answers have pulled her deeper into the case.

SPEAKER_16 30:17

Did he talk about the rag at all on the way home or anything like that?

SPEAKER_14 30:22

Or yes, but I really don't want to get into that, like of what you know, what he said because I feel like that's just like something you probably should ask him. Okay, of course, when something like that happened, I feel like that's something you would feel because that would be traumatic at least for me.

SPEAKER_16 30:40

Right, I understand. I'm just trying to get the full picture of like what all was going on at the time of when it occurred, you know. So um like conversations, it was just like, you know, in shock.

SPEAKER_14 30:53

Yeah, I would describe it in shock.

SPEAKER_16 30:55

Okay. I really appreciate your time and coming out and speaking with me.

SPEAKER_14 31:00

Sorry, I couldn't answer earlier. I was in class and I had my phone on silence.

SPEAKER_16 31:04

It's completely fine. I just at this point, I mean, I'm just like narrowing everything down and speaking with everyone that was involved. Right. Um, and then once I found out that you were the female that was in the car with them, that's why we're having this conversation.

SPEAKER_00 31:17

With Pierce cleared, investigators moved on, leaving her behind as another bystander caught up in a night that spiraled out of control. As the days passed, investigators began bringing in every team member who had been there that night, comparing stories and searching for the first crack in the timeline. Investigators began with Dumont Johnson, the first to be called into the station to give his account of that night. Yet officers would soon grow suspicion.

SPEAKER_08 31:46

So I really want to clarify a couple things, and uh you said Jalen called you, you were headed out of downtown, and Jalen called you at some point between there when you left Hoppers and when you got to Icon.

SPEAKER_09 31:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_08 31:58

Where were you at on the road when when y'all had that phone call conversation about going off the house? Can you remember that?

SPEAKER_09 32:05

He was calling he was trying to call me, but um that road right before you turn. That Barney shows roll, we had the light right there. So you turn on that rule and then you got that through. We got that light right there.

SPEAKER_08 32:24

The light. Right, you want to go with that light?

SPEAKER_09 32:27

So um we see each other right there and we debating or not. Do we want to go to uh motherfucker? So that's why I put in my my house, because I'm still debating if I want to go there or not. But then when we get there to my crib, we get the car saying they crash, um, come down. That's when we flew out an icon trying to get there.

SPEAKER_16 32:47

So you so you were sitting, y'all don't technically like call each other on the phone, you just roll your window down.

SPEAKER_09 32:53

Yeah, at the light, that's like at the where y'all going. Uh-huh. That's when that's the conversation we had. Okay.

SPEAKER_16 33:00

So you knew who all these people were.

SPEAKER_09 33:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_16 33:02

Had you seen them downtown prior to that accident? Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_09 33:06

Yeah, I saw them at night.

SPEAKER_16 33:07

Okay, where'd you see them at? Toppers. Okay. So you and I'm guessing Smile was in Toppers with that group. Yeah. Because the story that I'm receiving is that everybody essentially was in Toppers right around, right before they closed down. Yeah. Okay. So you come out, you come out of icon, you take a right, you travel up to the right scene, what do you see?

SPEAKER_09 33:35

Um it was just dark because they uh they hit the they hit the light with the light bulb. So uh it's really dark at this moment. Um I really don't see none. I'm trying to at this point I'm trying to slow down because I don't see nothing. It's real dark at the scene at this time. Um I don't see none, so I'm not trying to go fast. But I end up hitting the um wire as I'm driving down um so I kind of like to turn and the side of my car hit the wire. Um I don't know if it's sparked in or not, but then I turn my car. So I'm coming this way with the roof hanging down. Uh huh. I come and I turn. That's when my car was facing that way. And then um, we're trying to get to uh JC outside the car already. And um they in the what the bushes or the houses.

SPEAKER_16 34:34

Okay.

SPEAKER_09 34:34

And then um, I don't know how we're gonna get to them unless we jump through the wires. So you know we jump through the wires and um trying to find them, but it's too dark. I don't see nobody.

SPEAKER_16 34:45

Okay. I'm not I'm not asking, did you see the red? I'm asking I'm asking when you're sitting at the light having a conversation with Jalen right here where y'all stopped at that red light right there at Lakeson Road prior to Barnett shows, did you see the expedition in your rearview mirror or anything? Okay. Was anybody in the car with Jalen?

SPEAKER_09 35:05

Yeah, it was a female, but I don't know. I never saw her. I just saw like I I seen her, but I'm not I wasn't able to see her if I like you want a description of her because she was in the car. She's somebody associated with the team, or why would she be riding around?

SPEAKER_08 35:19

I don't know. I don't know.

SPEAKER_15 35:23

Okay, I don't think anything else. I think that's pretty pretty much it. Um I appreciate your time coming in and talking to us.

SPEAKER_00 35:31

As the investigation continued, officers spoke with multiple people who had been present that night. Some accounts claimed that Jalen Carter had been driving at high speeds. Others went further, alleging that he had been racing another vehicle in the moments leading up to the crash. Notably, those claims did not come from his teammates, none of whom reported witnessing Carter racing that night. Instead, the allegations came from other individuals who were nearby, including people who said they had seen Carter's vehicle speeding through the area earlier that evening. By that point, investigators weren't focused on a single statement. They were comparing who said what, when, and from where, trying to determine which accounts aligned with the physical evidence and which didn't. Eventually, investigators reached a conclusion based on witness statements, crash reconstruction, and vehicle data. Police determined that Jalen Carter had been driving in a manner consistent with racing the vehicle that ultimately crashed. Investigators' estimated speeds reached up to 109 miles per hour on a road with a posted speed limit of 45. That race ended in tragedy, claiming the lives of Chandler LaCroix and Devin Willock. Jalen Carter maintained that he wasn't racing and wasn't speeding, but investigators weren't weighing explanations. They were weighing evidence. On March 1, 2023, arrest warrants were issued, and Carter turned himself in later that same day. He was charged with misdemeanor reckless driving and misdemeanor racing. Jalen Carter later pleaded no contest to both charges. He was sentenced to 12 months of probation, ordered to pay a$1,000 fine, complete community service, and attend a defensive driving course.