18 months later, Georgia Bulldogs haven’t tackled speeding issues

DALLAS — Asked in July 2023 about his players speeding around town in muscle cars, Georgia coach Kirby Smart said, “I’ll be the first to admit we haven’t solved that issue.”

One year later, he still hasn’t.

The number of incidents in which his players, or other members of the football program, have been charged by police for DUI, reckless driving or speeding ballooned to 24 this past week. That’s since the football team suffered a double-fatality crash police blamed on excessive speed, racing and alcohol Jan. 15, 2023. That was the night of the Bulldogs’ parade celebrating their second consecutive national championship.

Smart addressed the issue Tuesday for the first time since new developments involving four different players last week. Attending SEC Football Media Days here at the Omni Hotel Downtown Dallas, Smart expressed frustration over the issue. He said the problem has persisted despite proactive and punitive measures, including announcing the dismissal of a player Tuesday.

As Smart met separately with beat reporters before his appearance in the main media room here, UGA sent out a news release announcing that David Daniel-Sisavanh has been dismissed from the team . The senior safety in February was charged with reckless driving after the 2021 BMW M340i he was driving south on the Downtown Connector in Atlanta and made multiple lane changes at high speed without using blinkers and led police on a pursuit.

As that news was released, Smart revealed to reporters that Georgia’s players have had 162 instances in which they’ve heard from coaches, administrators and speakers in team environments about the dangers of speeding, reckless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol. He also revealed for the first time that players have been subjected to “substantial fines” from the Classic City Collective – the group the distributes name, image and likeness payments to players – for transgressions that involved breaking the law.

“The incidents that have been happening off the field are not something we condone,” Smart said Tuesday morning. “It’s very unfortunate, ‘disappointing’ I guess is the best word. I always talk about processing outcomes in wins and losses. We try not to base things on outcomes. In this case, the outcomes are very disappointing.”

Georgia’s issues with law-breaking quieted for a while after Smart made the aforementioned statement last summer. That was at least in part because of the start of preseason camp, which results in the Bulldogs parking their cars. But the ticketing incidents have picked up speed this summer.

In the last week, Georgia saw star running back Trevor Etienne go to court to answer DUI and reckless-driving charges. The DUI charge was dismissed, but the 20-year-old transfer from Florida pleaded no contest to reckless driving for going over 80 in a 50-mph zone in his 2024 Audi RS7 and guilty to underage consumption of alcohol.

Sandwiched around Etienne’s court appearance were two other speeding incidents last week involving three Georgia players. That included the reckless driving charge against redshirt freshman Bo Hughley for a one-car accident on campus, the reckless driving and racing charge against senior linebacker Smael Mondon and a ticket for racing received by freshman Demello Jones, who police allege was racing his teammate after leaving a traffic signal in downtown Athens.

Smart would not say whether Etienne or Mondon would be facing game suspensions for their transgressions, but said they are being subjected to internal discipline. Etienne is a projected starter and a big part of the Bulldogs’ offensive plans this season.

“We don’t talk about the suspensions; we have them,” Smart said. “I think it’s pretty obvious that we’ve done them in the past. You guys know when we do them, but each of those cases are very different, and they’ll be handled in different ways.

Totaled separately since the crash in which recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy and offensive lineman Devin Willock died, that’s 24 speeding incidents involving members of the football program. Of those, only receiver Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint – ticketed three times in a week in 2023 – was previously suspended for a game.

Players owning and driving fast cars is a growing issue in college athletics as players are receiving rapidly increasing amounts of financial compensation through NIL deals. Georgia’s star quarterback Carson Beck, who projects as the No. 1 quarterback in next spring’s NFL draft, notably acquired a $270,000 Lamborghini earlier this year. Etienne was driving a $150,000 Audi, Jones was driving a late-model Mercedes and numerous players, including Mondon, are driving high-powered Dodge Chargers.

“Let’s clarify first: I don’t like fast cars; I like cars just in general,” Beck said Tuesday morning. “Yes, obviously, my car is fast, 100 percent. But I don’t drive like an idiot, you know. So it is what it is.”

Speeding in fast cars is not a situation unique to Georgia, though the school’s number of verified incidents appears to be more than other SEC schools. Alabama has dealt with a couple of issues in the last year. Most notable was an incident in which police attempted to pull over freshman defensive back Tony Mitchell in Bonifay, Florida, in March 2023 for driving 78 in a 55 mph zone. Mitchell attempted to elude police and is alleged to have reached a speed of 141 mph in his Dodge Charger before he was finally apprehended. Also accused of having a gun and a half-pound of marijuana in his car, Mitchell had the most serious charges dismissed or reduced in court. He was on the team but did not play for the Crimson Tide last season. Currently, Mitchell is not listed on Alabama’s 2024 roster.

Sophomore offensive lineman Elijah Pritchett is. He was jailed for “exhibition of speed” after police observed him “peeling out” at a Tuscaloosa intersection in his Dodge Charger. He paid a $500 fine for the misdemeanor violation and is contending for a starting position with the Crimson Tide this fall.

In Arkansas this past May, former Razorbacks quarterback KJ Jefferson was cited for driving a 2019 Dodge Challenger 113 mph in a 70 mph zone on southbound I-49 in Washington County. He was booked into the Washington County Detention Center and released 31 minutes later, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. At the time, Jefferson already had transferred from Arkansas to Central Florida. UCF coach Gus Malzahn is aware of the arrest but said it will not impact Jefferson’s status with the Golden Knights.

There are more instances, most of which Georgia’s players have heard about from coaches or speakers brought in to discuss the dangers of speeding. Among those the Bulldogs have heard from recently is Donte Stallworth, a former Tennessee and NFL wide receiver who was charged with DUI manslaughter and spent 30 days in jail for fatally injuring a pedestrian while driving drunk in 2014.

“(Smart) is always doing that, whether somebody has gotten into trouble or not,” junior safety Malaki Starks said Tuesday. “There’s always a microscope on what we do, so we just have to do the right things.”

UGA SPEEDING ISSUES 2023-24

1. Jan. 15, 2023 – Chandler LeCroy, UGA recruiting analyst: LeCroy and sophomore football player Devin Willock were killed in a high-speed, alcohol-related crash in which Willock was a passenger. Football player Warren McClendon and recruiting analyst Tory Bowles also were passengers and were injured. Police concluded that LeCroy was racing Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter at more than 100 mph on Barnett Shoals Road in Athens before leaving the roadway and striking trees and an apartment building

2. Feb. 17, 2023 – Aliou Bah, freshman, offensive lineman: Stopped by Athens-Clarke County Police for driving 65 in a 45 mph zone in a gray 2020 Dodge Charger on Atlanta Highway at Epps Bridge Parkway. He received 12 months’ probation and was ordered to complete a defensive driving course and traffic violators’ impact program, pay a $635 fine and do 40 hours of community service.

3. Feb. 21, 2023 – Jamon Dumas-Johnson, junior, linebacker: Arrested for racing and reckless driving for an incident that occurred Jan. 10. On April 17, pleaded guilty to reckless driving and a racing charge was dismissed.

4. Feb. 23, 2023 – De’Nylon Morrissette, sophomore, receiver: Stopped by Athens-Clarke County Police for driving 81 in a 45 mph zone on Atlanta Highway in his gray 2019 Dodge Charger.

5. Feb. 23, 2023 – Marvin Jones, freshman, defensive end: Stopped by Georgia State Patrol in Athens for driving 93 in a 65 mph zone on the Georgia Highway 10 Loop in Athens.

6. March 1, 2023 – Jalen Carter, junior, defensive lineman: Arrested by Athens-Clarke County Police on charges of street racing and reckless driving stemming from the Jan. 15 double-fatality. On March 16, 2023, Carter’s no-contest plea yielded a sentence of 12 months of probation, $1,000 fine, 80 hours of community service and attendance of state-approved defensive-driving course.

7. March 25, 2023 – Christen Miller, freshman, defensive lineman: Stopped by Oconee County Sheriff’s Department for driving 95 in a 65 mph zone.

8. March 25, 2023 – Kendall Milton, sophomore, running back: Stopped by Georgia State Patrol in Athens and cited for driving 79 in a 65 mph zone.

9. May 2, 2023 – Morrissette (No. 2): Pulled over in Walton County for traveling 91 in a 55 mph zone.

10. May 9, 2023 – Morrisette (No. 3): Arrested for DUI/drugs by Oconee County authorities at 3:30 a.m. after striking another vehicle from behind on Georgia Highway 316. Also charged with driving on a restricted license and too fast for conditions.

11. May 15, 2023 – Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, junior, receiver: Stopped by police in Coral Springs, Florida, for allegedly driving 60 in a 50 mph zone.

12. May 16, 2023 – Rosemy-Jacksaint (No. 2): Stopped by police in Coral Springs, Florida, and cited for speeding (71 in a 40 mph zone).

13. May 23, 2023 – Rosemy-Jacksaint (No. 3): Pulled over by Athens-Clarke County Police after being clocked at 90 in a 45 mph zone on Atlanta Highway. Jailed for reckless driving and “speeding-maximum limits.”

14. July 5, 2023 – Samuel M’Pemba, freshman, linebacker: Stopped by Oconee County Sheriff’s Department and cited for driving 88 in a 55 mph zone.

15. July 31, 2023 – Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, redshirt freshman, defensive lineman: Stopped on I-85 in Franklin County for driving 90 in a 70 mph zone. Jailed for outstanding warrant in Athens-Clarke County for failure to appear in court to resolve a handicap parking violation.

16. Sept. 1, 2023 – Jarvis Jones, player connection coordinator for UGA football: Stopped by Athens-Clarke County Police and for allegedly driving 86 mph in a 40 mph zone on Atlanta Highway. Arrested on charges of reckless driving and speeding/maximum limits and booked in Athens-Clarke County Jail.

17. Feb. 18, 2024 – Joenel Aguero, sophomore, defensive back: Cited for driving 59 in a 40 mph zone near downtown Athens. The Athens Banner-Herald reported that Aguero was racing his teammate, Justyn Rhett, and weaving in and out of traffic at the time.

18. Feb. 18, 2024 – Justyn Rhett, redshirt freshman, defensive back: Cited by Athens-Clarke County Police for driving his 2022 Dodge Charger 59 mph in a 40 mph zone on West Broad Street.

19. Feb. 24, 2024 – David Daniel-Sisavanh, senior, defensive back: Charged with reckless driving after the 2021 BMW M340i he was driving south on the Downtown Connector in Atlanta made multiple lane changes at high speed without using blinkers and led police on a pursuit, according to a Georgia Department of Public Safety report.

20. March 24, 2024 – Trevor Etienne, rising junior, running back: Pulled over at 1:50 a.m. on South Milledge Avenue for driving his 2024 Audi “between 80-90 mph” after drinking in downtown Athens, according to police. Charged with DUI, reckless driving and two other misdemeanor charges.

21. May 18, 2024 – Sacovie White, freshman, receiver: Pulled over by Athens-Clarke County Police at 2:06 a.m. in downtown Athens for “traveling at a high speed” and driving the wrong way on a one-way street. White was arrested and charged with reckless driving and driving the wrong way.

22. July 9, 2024 – Bo Hughley, redshirt freshman, offensive lineman : Arrested by UGA Police and charged with reckless driving and failure to maintain lane/improper driving following a car accident. No other details are immediately available.

23. July 10, 2024 – Smael Mondon, senior, linebacker: Arrested by Athens-Clarke County Police for driving at least 75 miles per hour in a 40-mph zone near downtown Athens. Booked into Athens-Clarke County Jail on charges of racing and reckless driving.

24. July 10, 2024 – Demello Jones, freshman, defensive back: Cited for allegedly racing his teammate Mondon after leaving an intersection on West Broad Street.

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