911 calls raise questions about fatal crash involving UGA player
By Tori Cooper
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ATLANTA (WANF) — On Friday Atlanta News First obtained new 911 calls from the Athens Clarke County Police Department that provided new information into the immediate aftermath of the fatal crash that killed University of Georgia football player Devin Willock and team staffer Chandler Lecroy last month.
911 calls suggest police gave the green light for investigators to brief a team liaison on the scene.
According to police records, the estimated time of the crash was 2:45 a.m. Shortly after the crash, 911 calls show Athens Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters called dispatchers and tells them that UGA football staff member Bryant Gannt is coming out to the scene and that supervising officers can give him details on the crash.
“Ok and Bryant Gantt who’s on the coaching staff he’s on his way out there and just make them aware so they can kind of talk to him and tell him what’s going on,” Saulters says on a call.
The dispatcher responds, “and he does what exactly?”
Saulters says, “he’s on the coaching staff and he takes care of all player relation stuff.”
We asked Athens Clarke County Police why a football liaison was allowed to access the scene and they sent us the following statement:
“No one, to include Mr. Gantt, was given access to any area that would impact an investigation. Mr. Gantt was not provided any additional access that any other private citizen would have had.”
“It is not uncommon for us to communicate with a liaison of an organization if someone associated with that organization is involved in a traumatic incident”
Atlanta News First spoke with attorneys. Some said coaches may be notified to help connect officers with the victim’s next of kin.
However, other attorneys said it raises questions about UGA’s hand in the Athens Clarke County Police Department.
Defense attorney Devin Rafus said, “it raises an eyebrow, it raises question as to whether the football program and its employees have influence over any investigation that involves their players.”
It’s still unclear what information Bryant Gantt was given at the scene but Athens Clarke County Police said that Gantt was the one who called the police chief first to tell him about the crash.
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