Georgia fires staffer who sued program after surviving deadly crash

Georgia said staffer Victoria Bowles was fired reportedly due to lack of cooperation. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

The University of Georgia fired recruiting staffer, Victoria "Tory" Bowles, who sued the program in July after surviving the January crash that killed football player Devin Willock and staff member Chandler LeCroy.^[1][2]

The school issued a statement Monday saying Bowles was dismissed because she refused to cooperate with an internal investigation into the collision, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution^[3]. Her attorneys claim she is being retaliated against for filing the lawsuit, which also names former Georgia player and first-round NFL draft pick Jalen Carter^[4].

The crash occurred hours after the program celebrated its second consecutive national championship in January. LeCroy was driving the SUV Willock was in at the time of the crash. Police reported LeCroy had a blood alcohol concentration of .197, more than twice the legal limit in Georgia.

The 24-year-old was reportedly racing another car driven by Carter, reaching speeds up to 104 mph.^[5] The SUV swerved off the road, struck two utility poles and two trees. Willock was 20 years old.

Bowles was sitting in the back seat next to Willock. She sustained serious injuries, including a spinal cord injury, head injury with neurological damage and severe eye pain, lumbar and rib fractures and lacerations to the kidney and liver, according to her lawsuit.

Her complaint, which names LeCroy's estate as an additional defendant, requests at least $171,595 in general damages in addition to punitive damages. It claims the Georgia Athletic Association entrusted the rented SUV to LeCroy despite being aware that she had multiple speeding violations before the crash.

Bowles was on paid medical leave for a couple of months following the crash. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution referred to Bowles as a "