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It was a cloudy February night along the Route 10 Loop encircling Athens, Georgia, when county police witnessed not one, but two late-model Mercedes GLEs speeding at 105mph in a 65-mph zone.
Valued anywhere from $56,000 to $125,000, the SUVs were separated by 10 feet, according to a police report obtained by The Daily Mail. Athens-Clarke County officer Caleb Cameron said they dropped to 60mph after the drivers noticed his patrol car, but even with his siren activated, they allegedly didn't stop for another mile. Only then, the report continued, were the suspects revealed to be University of Georgia linebackers Chris Cole and Darren Ikinnagbon.
Both were charged with vehicular misdemeanors and posted bonds of $26 and $39, respectively. The NFL hopefuls have issued apologies, and although Cole hasn't entered a plea, Ikinnagbon admitted to a speeding misdemeanor and got six months' probation, 40 hours of community service and a $1,013 fine as part of a deal with Athens-Clarke County. As for their twin Mercedes, an unidentified Bulldogs coach arrived at the scene and 'retrieved their vehicles,' according to the police report.
They've since been welcomed back to a Bulldogs team entering the 2026 season ranked as high as No. 3 in preseason polls. Georgia's $13m-a-year head coach, Kirby Smart, said at the opening of training camp, there is 'not a player of higher character' than Cole.
Although Smart did say both players would 'pay a price,' no punishments have been revealed for the arrests, which seem benign compared to previous fatalities, DUIs and a 150-mph police chase involving other players. Consequently, some perpetrators have been kicked off the team and others quietly transferred, while a few faced suspensions or missed playing time.
Smart, 50, insists his best tool for fixing the driving problem is 'the pocket.' But even for a Georgia football program valued at nearly $2billion, it's players making millions who have leverage. Revenue-sharing plans and name, image and likeness (NIL) deals make dangerously fast cars accessible to incoming recruits, most of whom find another school if they're denied money or playing time in Athens.
As The Daily Mail learned in a recent visit to the vibrant college town, money hasn't fixed this problem – it's probably making it worse.
Chris Cole apologized for his arrest and now seems poised to have a big year for the Bulldogs
Kirby Smart has two two national titles at UGA and is eyeing a third entering the 2026 season
Darren Ikinnagbon has apologized for his role in his arrest and remains with the team
'IF YOU CAN'T SAY ANYTHING NICE…'
It's hard to avoid the subject of Georgia Bulldogs football within the Peach State, let alone Athens, an eclectic city nestled in Appalachian foothills 70 miles northeast of Atlanta.
But should one be so inclined, the mere mention of Georgia football's driving woes is enough to derail almost any Dawgs discussion.
'It's like, if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything else,' Athens District 2 Commissioner Melissa Link told The Daily Mail in one of the city's charming tree-lined neighborhoods.
Link wasn't exaggerating.
Asked about the Bulldogs' 30-or-so vehicular incidents and dozens of driving-related arrests since early 2023, the city's other commissioners, its mayor, Athens-Clarke County police, an ex-police chief, a local state representative and former Georgia players either declined to speak or neglected to respond to requests.
A few individuals did speak on the record and locals inside and outside of the program were more forthcoming on background, expressing significant concerns and confessing to losing sleep over the problem.
Athens-Clarke County police declined to speak with The Daily Mail about the problem
An aerial view of University of Georgia Sanford Football Stadium in picturesque Athens
Georgia Bulldogs fans in the student section spell out 'Thank You Jesus' during a 2025 win
The school referred to a statement The Daily Mail received from the University of Georgia Athletic Association (UGAAA) broadly describing the effort to solve a crisis that has clouded back-to-back national titles and three Southeastern Conference crowns over five years.
'Our approach has centered on education, clear expectations, and accountability,' the statement said. 'We remain focused on helping student-athletes make responsible decisions, responding appropriately when expectations are not met, and continually evaluating our efforts for opportunities to improve.'
As Smart explained in 2024, the program required defensive driving classes for incoming players and dismissed others over 'routine' traffic violations. But it hasn't solved the problem.
'We suspended a player [Marcus Rosemy] for speeding and driving last year, which is rare,' he told ESPN at the time. 'Nobody's ever done that. That hasn't controlled it and prevented it, so why are we still talking about it? Because we've had guys make poor decisions.'
The program's third-party NIL collective has fined players 'substantially,' Smart added, but such penalties actually present a legal minefield.
The Georgia Bulldogs team escorted by the police in Athens in April 2024
Georgia State Patrol cars lead the way during the parade honoring the Georgia Bulldogs national championship victory on January 15, 2022
Florida-based sports and trademark lawyer Darren Heitner told The Daily Mail, the issue stems from the NCAA's refusal to consider student athletes as 'employees.'
'When a program fines a player, it starts to look like the hallmarks of an employment relationship,' Heitner wrote in an email. 'The ability to unilaterally dock compensation as discipline is classic employer authority, and that characterization carries real consequences under federal wage-and-hour and labor law as the courts continue to examine athlete employee status.'
Asked to clarify the financial penalties levied against players over driving infractions, a UGAAA spokesperson told The Daily Mail the program utilizes 'a variety of accountability measures, including suspension of payments.'
Georgia Football is hardly the first college to struggle with athletes driving dangerously. NFL teams face similar issues, such as Kansas City Chiefs star Rashee Rice's 2024 hit-and-run case in Dallas.
What separates Georgia from other teams is the volume of incidents, nearly all of which were void of serious injury.
But they suffered a tragedy on January 15, 2023, when a rented Ford Expedition driven by recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy crashed, killing her and offensive lineman Devin Willock.
The wreck is the subject of ongoing legal battles, including over $40 million in wrongful death lawsuits filed by Willock's estate and his father against the UGAAA, LeCroy's estate, the school's board of regents and superstar defensive tackle Jalen Carter.
Carter was accused of racing LeCroy in the early morning hours after the team's most recent national championship parade.
Devin Willock (far left) is seen with teammates during the parade honoring the Bulldogs. He'd be killed in a car crash the next morning
Willock was a passenger in the rented SUV when it crashed in Athens on January 15, 2023
Chandler LeCroy was a Georgia recruiting coordinator, who was permitted to drive the SUV
It's impossible to say how fast Carter was driving his Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk – an SUV owned through an NIL deal. Investigators did determine LeCroy was exceeding 100mph when her vehicle jumped the curb and crashed into utility poles, some trees and a nearby apartment building.
Willock was pronounced dead at the scene, while LeCroy died shortly after in the hospital. Football staffer Victoria Bowles was hospitalized with serious injuries and another passenger, offensive lineman Warren McClendon, was knocked unconscious by the impact but still walked away from the crash.
He now starts for the Los Angeles Rams.
Georgia assistant coach Bryant Gantt arrived quickly to the Willock-LeCroy crash scene
Police video obtained by The Daily Mail shows an instantaneous response from Georgia Football. A representative was on the scene within moments. When one Athens-Clarke County officer radioed to request an officer from the school, he was surprised to learn crash victims' names had already leaked.
'I didn't give any names,' the officer said.
'Did you say "a football player?"' another asked.
'No, I just said I needed the UGA sergeant en route,' the first officer replied.
'Well, I bet the dude's that's alive [McClendon] is calling folks,' the other officer suggested.
County Police Chief Jerry Saulters learned about the crash from Georgia coach Bryant Gantt.
'Gantt, who is on the coaching staff, is on his way… they can talk with him and kind of tell him what's going on,' Saulters later told dispatch, according to police logs.
Asked to describe Gantt's role, Saulters said the coach 'takes care of all player relations stuff.'
A distraught Gantt quickly arrived, shaken by the tragic news he was learning.
A wrecked SUV is seen moments after the crash that killed LeCroy and Willock in Athens
LeCroy's blood-alcohol level was determined to be .197 percent, over double the legal driving limit in Georgia. While she was permitted to drive the UGAAA's leased Ford Expedition as part of official duties, those did not include the 2.45am drive from a strip club to a nearby Waffle House, attorneys representing Willock's estate and his father claimed in the filing.
What's more, the lawsuits allege, the school's board of regents and UGAAA were negligent in allowing LeCroy to drive given her four speeding citations over the previous six years and her 'reputation as a party girl or drinker.'
An attorney for LeCroy's estate, as well as legal representatives for Willock's family and Carter did not respond to The Daily Mail's request for comment. Attorneys for UGAAA, LeCroy's estate, the school's board of regents and Carter have rejected the accusations and are disputing the factual bases for the lawsuits in courts.
UGAAA's insurers reportedly paid Bowles a $1.5 million settlement, according to the Athens Banner-Herald, but not until after she was fired by the school for allegedly refusing to cooperate with the crash investigation.
Her attorney claimed she was fired due to her lawsuit against the school.
Since then, Carter's fame has soared.
He initially denied wrongdoing, including the claim he improperly left the scene of the crash, saying he was permitted to do so by officers. But, with a month to go until he'd be taken ninth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, Carter pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing. As a result, he was sentenced to a year of probation, a $1,000 fine and 80 hours of community service.
Carter has fought the civil cases in lengthy court battles. In 2024, he delayed legal proceedings for months because the attorney he hired, Georgia state representative Bill Cowsert, was in session at the time and Georgia laws allow for continuances in such cases.
Cowsert did not respond to The Daily Mail's request for comment about the case.
Jalen Carter is seen in his Jeep after being pulled over for speeding in 2022. He later had his license supsended, but was admittedly racing LeCroy on January 15, 2023 before the crash
Carter talks with officers at the scene of the 2023 crash that killed Willock and LeCroy
Carter had previous driving-related incidents and had his license suspended back in 2022
These days, Carter ranks among the best - and highest-paid - defensive tackles in football
The crash wasn't the only issue for the program's top recruit. Carter was driving on a suspended license that night after a string of speeding violations. The AJC later reported Gantt covered more than $1,000 in speeding and parking citations for Carter, although a program spokesperson denied that claim to The Daily Mail.
'We stand by our previous statements regarding Bryant Gantt,' the statement read. 'The claim that Mr. Gantt paid traffic citations for a student-athlete is false. While Mr. Gantt sometimes assisted student-athletes in the process of paying citations, he never used his own or UGA funds to do so.'
Carter's turbulent time at Georgia proved rewarding. Now, he is one of the NFL's most dominant defensive players and recently signed a $152 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Only a couple of the Bulldogs' arrests resulted in DUI charges, such as the one De'Nylon Morrissette pleaded guilty to before transferring to Purdue. Many more have been charged with speeding and reckless driving.
Notably, Nyier Daniels was dismissed from the team after leading police in nearby Jackson County on a 150-mph chase with his minor siblings in the car. Daniels has pleaded not guilty, according to court documents reviewed by The Daily Mail.
Other players are actually racing each other around Loop 10, according to former Georgia and Cincinnati Bengals star David Pollack.
'I've heard stories now about how they'll basically time themselves going around the loop, which is extremely dangerous,' Pollack, who still lives nearby, said on his podcast last year. 'Not good. Not smart.'
Pollack pointed the finger at NIL money and the luxury vehicles suddenly affordable to college players: 'We didn't have these cars because we didn't have this money. So, more money more problems, right?'
The money isn't limited to players.
View of the parade route on Lumpkin Street during the Georgia Bulldogs championship celebration on January, 15, 2022. Kirby Smart's team would win another title the next year
For the fifth straight fall semester, UGA is once again expected to break its enrollment record - a trend many credit to the popularity of the football team.
'The national football championship really brings the spotlight on and makes it a whole different level of affluence,' Link said. 'It became more competitive to get in here.'
Local governments are also struggling with another unintended consequence of the Bulldogs' success: inequality.
Wealthy fans are buying second homes in Athens to be closer to the Bulldogs. In turn, rents have risen above national average while a quarter of the population remains at or below the poverty line, according to 2024 data.
'It's sad... you have that much wealth coming in here for a really specific singular purpose, and it doesn't necessarily trickle down,' said Link, who reported $2 million condos being constructed in the city.
The Thrashers honored Snyder at Philips Arena following the fatal 2023 car crash in Atlanta
Nyier Daniels was dismissed from the team after leading police in nearby Jackson County on a 150-mph police chase with his minor siblings in the car. Daniels pleaded not guilty
Melissa Link has fought for bike lanes, safer roadways and affordable housing as one of Athens' city commissioners
The millionaires who don't splurge on campus-adjacent second homes are packing the overcrowded runways at Athens-Ben Epps Airport after games.
'The air traffic overhead on football weekends is nuts,' said Link.
The flood of new wealth has led to something of a 'town-gown' divide in Athens, where long-standing locals have been more critical than those connected to the school or football program.
Many fall into both categories.
A local resident and former Bulldogs team captain, Pollack politely declined to The Daily Mail's request to speak further about the problems facing UGA.
'Very few people will vocalize their outrage because of the criticism and the retaliation that they'll get,' Link said.
She speaks from experience.
Back in 2022, while discussing police enrollment at a city council meeting, Link made an off-hand remark about Georgia Bulldogs players accused of violent crimes: 'A lot of them are out there raping and murdering.'
The comment was seized on by critics and rival politicians, including state representative Houston Gaines and the local NAACP.
But the criticisms ignored how two Georgia football players were accused of rape and murder at the time: Ex-Georgia receiver Ahkil Crumpton was later sentenced to life in prison for the 2021 killing of a gas-station attendant. Ex-Bulldogs linebacker Adam Anderson pleaded down 2021 rape charges to misdemeanor sexual battery.
It was around this time that Link's second job serving as a managing editor for an academic journal came under the crosshairs at UGA, she said. That position was first reduced in the wake of the controversy before she was let go altogether after 22 years.
In response to The Daily Mail's request for comment, a UGA spokesperson said: 'We strongly refute the insinuation. Ms. Link's position was terminated in a routine reduction in force necessitated by the elimination of funding for the journal she supported. It had nothing to do with her job performance or activities outside of work.'
Former Bulldogs star David Pollack said in 2025 there is 'no solution' to UGA's problem
In addressing the problem in 2025, Pollack said 'there is no solution.' He wasn't being defeatist.
Smart has kicked bad actors off the team and NIL collectives have reportedly withheld payments to players driving recklessly.
In spite of it all, the Bulldogs' driving-related arrests have continued, with the most recent in May.
No matter how many players are dismissed, the UGAAA and the city of Athens rely on a UGA football program that directly generates around $150 million in annual revenue. And with that, comes a relentless need for elite players, many of whom will arrive in Athens with a pocket full of cash and a brand-new ride.
'What are you going to do with a million dollars as a 19-year-old who's never had his hands on anything near that?' Link asked. 'I wouldn't make a good decision.
'You got a hot rod, you want to use it.'
