UGA player Devin Willock laid to rest following celebration of life service

On Friday, loved ones gathered to celebrate the life of a University of Georgia football player who was killed in a crash earlier this month.

Devin Willock’s family and friends said their final goodbyes during a celebration of life service in his hometown of Englewood, New Jersey. The service took place at The Community Baptist Church.

On Jan. 15, Willock and 24-year-old Chandler LeCroy, a recruiting staff member, were killed in a car crash on Barnett Shoals Road. The crash happened hours after the Bulldogs held a parade celebration for their second straight national championship.

The church livestreamed the service and the video is now available on Facebook.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart was in attendance and spoke about Willock’s determination, underscoring that he never ran from competition, “he ran to it.”

LeCroy was driving the night of the crash and died at the hospital. Willock was sitting in the rear driver-side seat behind LeCroy and died at the scene. Willock’s teammate Warren McClendon was in the passenger seat and Chandler’s co-worker Victoria Bowles was in the rear passenger seat. Both of them survived the crash.

A police report shows the crash was partly caused by excessive speed. It’s unclear where the group was heading at the time of the crash. Investigators have said they are still awaiting results from toxicology and other tests to see if any other factors contributed to the crash.

UGA announced it is reviewing the circumstances surrounding a car crash. The statement said UGA has refrained from making any public comments regarding the circumstances of the crash out of respect for the families:

“However, we want the public to know that the athletic department is conducting a thorough review, in coordination with appropriate legal counsel, to fully understand the circumstances surrounding this tragic event. We want to emphasize that these individuals were not engaged in Athletic Department duties around the time of this incident.”

GoFundMe pages have been created to help the Willock and Chandler families. To donate to Willock’s family, click here. To donate to LeCroy’s family, click here.