‘My heart goes out to the family’: Athens community reacts to crash that killed UGA player, staffer

ATHENS, Ga. — Athens-Clarke County Police Department confirmed two football plays and two staff members were involved in a deadly car crash.

Investigators said the SUV they were in collided with trees and power poles on Barnett Shoals Rd. around 2:45 in the morning.

Lt. Shaun Barnett told Channel 2′s Courtney Francisco Offensive Lineman Devin Willock and a recruitment staff member, Chandler LeCroy, died. Offensive Linemen Warren McClendon and recruitment staff member Victoria Bowles were hurt but survived.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Lt. Barnett said LeCroy was driving, Willock was seated behind her. McClendon was in the front passenger seat and Bowles was seated behind him. Police said the SUV collided with trees and power lines.

“We wanted to go and help, but then the electric, it was flaring, said Rachel Dockman.

Dockman said she and Kobe Largeman called 911.

RELATED STORIES:

• Teammates, fans share condolences over deaths of Bulldogs player, recruiting staffer
• UGA football player, recruiting staff member killed in car crash
• UGA player who declared for 2023 NFL draft injured in crash that killed teammate, staffer

Less than 12 hours earlier, the team was celebrating their championship title with thousands of fans. Willock’s Instagram shows him celebrating with teammates and waving at fans during a parade through campus.

“Everyone was so happy. I did not, like, I could have never expected something like this to happen,” said one student, Katie Sawyer.

Kristina Hampton is from Kennesaw, and was driving through campus when she was the memorial outside the stadium.

“My heart goes out to the family,” said Hampton. “I didn’t even watch the ball drop on New Years Eve because we were rooting for UGA to win, and you invested in watching them as players. And, you know, they’re people, and things happen to people beyond our control. It’s just very sad.”

Channel 2 Action News is still waiting for a condition update on the two survivors.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

IN OTHER NEWS:

Rockdale County deputies search for woman kidnapped by man described as ‘armed and dangerous’

©2022 Cox Media Group