Three more Georgia Bulldogs football players accused of reckless driving

ATHENS — Within 24 hours of one Georgia football player being admonished by a judge in an Athens-Clarke County courtroom for reckless driving habits, three other Bulldogs have been charged with similar offenses.

Rising senior and starting linebacker Smael Mondon was jailed Wednesday night after his arrest on charges of racing and reckless driving. According to police, Mondon driving a 2022 Dodge Charger near downtown Athens on Wednesday night when an officer trailing in patrol car observed him “accelerate at a high rate of speed” from an intersection and begin racing a gray 2021 Porsche Panamera traveling in the other lane west down Broad Street.

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Turns out, the driver of the Porsche also was a Georgia football player. Freshman defensive back Demello Jones also was charged with racing on streets/highways, but he was not taken to jail because he voluntarily pulled over into a parking lot at 1000 West Broad Street, formerly the location of The Varsity, near downtown Athens.

According to the police report obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Vehicle 1″ (Mondon’s car) was “paced at 75 miles per hour” in the 40 mph zone after both cars rapidly left a traffic signal at the intersection of The Plaza on West Broad Street and “begin to race one another. After Mondon was pulled over, he told the officer he did not know the driver of the Porsche. However, when Jones “pulled over and approached” in the Porsche, he told the officer he was checking on “his teammate.” After Jones was cited and directed to leave, Mondon allegedly told him, “do not say anything in the group chat,” according the reporting officer.

A day earlier, redshirt freshman offensive lineman Bo Hughley also was arrested by UGA police and charged with reckless driving in addition to charges for failure to maintain lane/improper driving. Those charges resulted from “a single-car accident” Tuesday on River Road, according to UGA’s online crime log. However, police said Thursday the full report is not yet available.

Sandwiched between those arrests was running back Trevor Etienne’s appearance at the Athens-Clarke County courthouse on DUI and reckless-driving charges. The DUI charges were dropped, Etienne pleaded no contest to the reckless-driving charge and guilty to underage possession of alcohol and two other driving offenses.

“You are a public figure, whether you realize that or not,” Judge Marcy Jolles told Etienne, according to the Athens Banner-Herald, which covered the hearing. “What you do, people see because of your role at the university. I would hope that you make better choices in the future to make a better example for those who are watching.”

Another Georgia player, freshman Sacovie White, has reckless charges pending from an incident in May in which police say he driving “traveling at high speed” the wrong way on a street in downtown Athens.

These latest charges bring to 22 the number of incidents involving Georgia football players or staff members who have been charged for driving-related offenses since a high-speed, alcohol-related accident took the lives of two members of the football program Jan. 15, 2023. Offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy were killed then in an incident police said involved racing with other members of the football team. Current NFL player Jalen Carter was cited for racing charges in that case.

When reached for comment, UGA spokesman Steven Drummond said Georgia coach Kirby Smart “will address this on Tuesday (at SEC Football Media Days in Dallas).”

SPEEDING BULLDOGS

1. Jan. 15, 2023 – Chandler LeCroy, 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 determined 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. 21, 2023 – Jamon Dumas-Johnson, junior linebacker: Arrested for racing and reckless driving for an incident that actually occurred Jan. 10. On April 17, pleaded guilty to reckless driving and had racing charge dismissed. He was sentenced to 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. 17, 2023 – Aliou Bah, freshman offensive lineman: Stopped in February 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.

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 Highway 10 Loop, which is the four-lane perimeter highway that surrounds 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 crash that took the life LeCroy and Willock and injured two other associates of football program. 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 speeding (60 in a 50 mph zone).

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

13. May 23, 2023 – Rosemy-Jacksaint No. 3: Pulled over 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. Records review revealed Ingram-Dawkins had a warrant in Athens-Clarke County for failure to appear in court to resolve a handicap parking violation. Was jailed, posted a $13 bond and was fined $200 for contempt of court.

16. Sept. 1, 2023 – Jarvis Jones, Georgia’s player connection coordinator: Stopped by Athens-Clarke County Police at 10:40 p.m. for allegedly driving 86 mph in a 40 mph zone on Atlanta Highway. Jones was arrested on charges of reckless driving and speeding/maximum limits and booked in Athens-Clarke County Jail.

17. 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.

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

19. May 18, 2024 – Sacovie White, freshman receiver: Pulled over by A-CC 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.

20. 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. No other details are immediately available.

21. July 10, 2024 – Smael Mondon, senior linebacker: Arrested by Athens-Clarke County Police and booked in A-CC Jail on charges of racing and reckless driving. No other details are immediately available.

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