Cass HS's Steve Gates comments on Georgia WR's reckless driving arrest: "A lot going on all over campus"

Georgia Bulldogs' freshman wide receiver, Sacovie White faced a traffic-related incident on Saturday. White was arrested by Athens-Clarke County Police early Saturday morning and charged with reckless driving and driving the wrong way on a one-way road. He was booked at 3:04 a.m. and released shortly thereafter on two bonds totaling $26.

White, a promising three-star recruit from Cass High in Cartersville, enrolled early at the University of Georgia. He recently showcased his potential by catching a 26-yard touchdown during Georgia’s G-Day spring game, where he had two receptions for 29 yards and a 21-yard kickoff return.

According to Chip Towers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, White had returned to campus to participate in Georgia’s "Scavenger Hunt" recruiting weekend.

Cass High coach Steve Gates commented on the situation, emphasizing that White's actions, while mistaken, did not involve more serious offenses.

"It was a big weekend in Athens, a lot going on all over campus," Gates noted.

"He made a mistake by turning down a one-way road. What I’m proud of is that there was no drinking or speeding involved that I would have been disappointed in obviously. But a traffic violation that occurs on the regular, bet he won’t go down that road again."

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Georgia Football's traffic woes: A ongoing recurring saga

Freshman wide receiver Sacovie White's recent arrest marks the second time in two months that a player has faced reckless driving charges in his university hometown of Athens.

This incident exacerbates an ongoing pattern of trouble within the program, as they have experienced 17 traffic-related arrests or citations. This incident adds to a concerning trend where players have been arrested or cited for speeding or reckless driving on more than a dozen times since a tragic crash on January 15, 2023, that claimed the lives of offensive lineman Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy.

In the January crash of 2023, LeCroy, and the previous Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter were recorded speeding at over 100 mph when LeCroy lost control, as a result, killing Willock and herself.

Carter, now with the Philadelphia Eagles, later pleaded no-contest to related charges and received 12 months' probation, a $1,000 fine, 80 hours of community service, and mandatory defensive driving training.

Recent incidents include the March 24, 2024 arrest of running back Trevor Etienne when he was cited for DUI and several misdemeanors when he was driving 80-90 mph in a 50-mph zone. It is perceived that Etienne who is a transfer from Florida may be suspended for the season opener against Clemson because of the DUI charge.

These occurrences have led to criticism of the program’s approach to player misconduct and safety on the road, highlighting the urgency to do more to eliminate such occurrences among players.