In 2023, a tragic street racing accident in Georgia claimed the lives of one college student and another individual. Both were connected with the UGA football team, and they were celebrating a national championship victory at the time of the accident. One year later, this crash had led to serious controversy and numerous lawsuits.
How Did This Car Crash Occur?
The single-vehicle crash occurred at approximately 3:00 AM when the driver of a Ford Expedition SUV hit a curb and flew into the air. This vehicle was carrying four members of the football program, including the driver. After striking the curb, the vehicle struck a tree at high speed, causing fatal injuries to the driver and a player.
Police later confirmed that another vehicle was involved in the incident. It eventually became clear that another member of the football team was street racing against the Ford in his own Jeep Trackhawk, and this individual was subsequently charged with reckless driving. He also faced street racing charges.
An investigation later determined that the driver of this vehicle was a recruiting analyst, and her BAC level was almost 0.2 at the time of the crash. It also became clear that the Ford Expedition had been leased to this staffer for the specific purpose of transporting coaches, recruits, and families connected to the football team.
At the time of the crash, these street-racing individuals had just visited a strip club. They were on their way to a Waffle House location when they began to race each other, allegedly reaching speeds of over 100 miles per hour.
How Did This Crash Lead to Lawsuits?
In January 2025, various sources reported that the parents of the deceased football player had decided to sue the University System of Georgia for the fatal accident. The plaintiffs allege that UGA employees provided the recruiting analyst with the Ford Expedition despite knowing of her tendency to drive recklessly. They pointed to a super-speeder ticket on her record to support this allegation.
This is the second lawsuit filed by the family of the deceased football player. Previously, the student’s father sued the UGA Athletic Association, the estate of the deceased recruiting analyst, and the driver of the Jeep.
A third lawsuit also occurred. This comes from another passenger in the crashed Ford who survived but with serious injuries. This individual is another former recruiting staffer, and she sued the estates of both drivers. It was subsequently reported that the plaintiff had settled her lawsuit after receiving an undisclosed settlement from the UGA Athletic Association.
If nothing else, this crash illustrates how complex wrongful death claims can be in Georgia. These claims can be particularly complicated if the crash involves multiple third parties. These might include universities, other drivers, government entities, and many others.
The fact that one plaintiff has already received a settlement indicates that the other two lawsuits could also be successful. At face value, the driver of the Ford was acting as a representative of the university – and she was given the vehicle for the specific purpose of transporting team members.