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Heather Dinich, ESPN Senior Writer
Georgia starting linebacker Smael Mondon and backup offensive tackle Bo Hughley were arrested this week on separate misdemeanor charges of reckless driving, according to booking records from the Athens-Clarke County Sheriff’s Office.
On Tuesday, Hughley was charged with failure to maintain lane/improper driving on road and reckless driving, both misdemeanors. The documents show he posted a total of $26 bond and was released at 10:08 p.m.
On Wednesday, Mondon was charged with racing on highways/streets and reckless driving. Records show he also paid $26 and was released at 12:25 a.m. on Thursday.
Mondon played in 13 games last season, including 11 starts at linebacker, and he ranked second on the team with 68 tackles. Hughley redshirted last season.
The racing charge is significant, considering its devastating history within the program.
In January 2023, Georgia football player Devin Willock and recruiting staff member Chandler LeCroy were killed in a car wreck in Athens.
Jalen Carter, a former Georgia defensive lineman who is now with the Philadelphia Eagles, was driving with a suspended license during the night of that accident, leading to misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and racing, court documents show.
The vehicle that Carter was alleged to be racing against crashed, resulting in the two deaths. Following the accident, ESPN reported Georgia football players and their cars were involved in at least 10 reports of traffic-related moving violations in Athens-Clarke County in the five months following the incident, according to records obtained by ESPN. Coach Kirby Smart and the university faced questions about the culture within the program.
A school spokesman for Georgia did not immediately return a request for comment.
ESPN’s Mark Schlabach contributed to this report.