Bodycam footage released of Jalen Carter interrogation night of fatal accident

Bodycam footage has come out detailing the interaction between defensive lineman Jalen Carter and Athens police on the night of a crash that killed two.

Jalen Carter’s involvement in a fatal single-car accident the night after Georgia football held a parade in Athens to celebrate its national championship has been unclear from the jump. Carter was not in the car that crashed, which resulted in two fatalities, but was operating a nearby vehicle en route to the same destination.

Ultimately, Carter won’t face jail time but pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing. As Carter was poised to speak to teams at the NFL Draft Combine in March, a warrant came out for his arrest which clouded his performance and comments as scouts looked on.

Now, bodycam footage has come out from the night of the incident.

Jalen Carter bodycam footage from fatal accident

Below is the bodycam footage from the night of the incident, January 14th. Before you watch, a brief warning: There are no graphic visuals, but a brief description of the car crash is given in the video.

It’s hard to draw significant conclusions from the video alone. Carter and the police officer interviewing him appear to have decent rapport, even lightly bonding over the fact that they lived in the same area in Florida for a brief moment. Shortly after, though, Carter picks up a cell phone call and tells the person on the other side that he feels like the officer is trying to get something out of him, slightly changing the tone of the interaction.

The police officer asks Carter straight up if he was racing, which Carter denies and Carter has trouble telling the officer exactly how close he was to the car that crashed and how he evaded damage to his own vehicle.

Carter was called back to the scene after leaving at one point before first responders arrived. He says he did not call 911 upon hearing (and possibly witnessing) the crash.

Carter was sentenced to one year of probation, a fine, and community service. His involvement in the crash is legally done, and how it impacts the draft stock of a player previously viewed as a consensus top-5 pick will be something to watch on April 27.

Prior to the January incident, Carter was pulled over for speeding in his Jeep Trackhawk, going 90 miles per hour in a 45 zone.