ATHENS, Ga. — The University of Georgia has fired a recruiting staffer, who survived the January crash that killed football player Devin Willock and staff member Chandler LeCroy, less than a month after she sued the university.
Victoria S. Bowles, who goes by Tory, filed a lawsuit against UGA in July-- in which the lawsuit partially blamed the accident on the university's athletic association.
Bowles learned she had been terminated by UGA on Friday, according to Buck Law Firm, who is representing her in the suit. The law firm said they fired Bowles knowing that she is still unable to work due to "her significant and permanent injuries."
Her lawyers also allege that the termination is retaliation against her lawsuit filed against the university's athletic association. That lawsuit claims the athletic association negligently entrusted the SUV to another recruiting staffer, LeCroy, who had a history of speeding offenses, while Bowles was in the back seat of the car.
Bowles' lawyers also claim that UGA has committed a "campaign of intimidation," which all started when the university allegedly tried to control information regarding the crash that was on her personal cell phone while she was in the hospital. Bowles' lawyers claim her family was told by football program representatives that she needed to get a new cell phone and turn her current one over to the university.
"UGA’s aggressive and heavy-handed tactics, undertaken in coordination with the Georgia Attorney General’s office and others, is apparently related to numerous text messages Tory received from various football program staffers and coaches pertaining to the football program’s recruiting activities dating back to 2019," Bowles' lawyers said in a statement.
Bowles' lawyers go on to say that Bowles had always intended to cooperate in the investigation and that all of UGA's actions against Bowles are "attempts to avoid liability for the crash and preview or eliminate damaging information."
"Tory, like all other perceived liabilities to the football program, became expendable to UGA, and despite her loyalty and meager salary, has been steamrolled. The Association’s public statement issued in response to Tory’s lawsuit, that it 'patiently supported Ms. Bowles during her long and difficult recovery,' was obviously self-serving and disingenuous," her lawyers said.
The UGA Athletic Association sent a statement to 11Alive that claims that Bowles was fired after she "repeatedly refused to cooperate" with the crash investigation. The athletic association said their policies require all employees to comply with internal investigations and terminated Bowles on the basis that she had not cooperated in several months, UGA's statement claimed.
"As a result, we were ultimately left with no choice but to terminate her employment. We wish Ms. Bowles well in her recovery, and we will offer no further comment on this matter," the UGA Athletic Association said.
Atlanta-based employment lawyer Gary Freed said in Georgia, you can be hired and fired for any reason as long as it's not discriminatory.
“Insubordination is a very valid reason to terminate an employee when they refuse a valid request from an employer," Freed added.
In addition to Bowles' lawsuit against the athletic association, the lawsuit also throws blame at football player Jalen Carter and staff member Chandler LeCroy, who was killed after the Jan. 15 crash. It alleges both were driving at "extreme speeds" of "at least 104.2 mph, while engaged in street racing for 45 seconds before the crash."
As a result, the lawsuit, which is seeking damages against Carter, the university's athletic association and LeCroy's estate, argues passengers in LeCroy's vehicle had only a brief period of time to speak up against such high speed.
“It's a sad situation for her, for the people who died in the car, for the university that had just won a national championship," Freed said.
Case against UGA Athletic Association
Most notably, the lawsuit pushes back against the notion by the UGA Athletic Association that LeCroy had not been authorized to use the vehicle, adding recruiters were “commonly instructed they could take their assigned rental SUVs home overnight and leave their personal vehicles parked at the UGA Athletic Association facilities on campus."
After the crash, the athletic association said staff had permission to drive the SUVs during "recruiting activities only," such as when recruits and their families visit campus. Yet, Bowles' lawsuit includes multiple screenshots of text messages with athletic association officials telling her and others they could keep rental vehicles later.
One such exchange from 2019, with a staffer described as Bowles' immediate supervisor, reads as such:
Supervisor: "Haley said you're good! And you can take your car home if you need to!"
Bowles: "Wait, just making sure you mean I can take the SUV with me?"
Supervisor: "Yes! Take it home"
The lawsuit notes that Bowles is seeking reimbursement for over $170,000 worth of medical bills. There is also a mention of unspecified amounts in regard to lost income and reduction in earning capacity.
From there, the lawsuit goes on to list multiple injuries Bowles allegedly sustained during the crash, including fractured vertebrae and ribs.