GLENN GUILBEAU, Tiger Rag Editor
Former LSU wide receiver Kyren Lacy was projected to be potentially a third-round choice in the NFL Draft this April before he caused a fatal accident near his hometown of Thibodaux on Dec. 17, according to State Police after an investigation that took several weeks.
State Police issued a warrant for Lacy’s arrest on Jan. 10 on felony charges of negligent homicide and hit-and-run that could mean as much as a 15-year sentence if convicted of both charges. Herman Hall, a 77-year-old former United States Marine, died in the accident.
Lacy, 24, caused the accident because he “recklessly passed multiple vehicles at a high rate of speed by crossing the center line and entering the northbound lane while in a designated No Passing Zone,” State Police said on Jan. 10 in a release. “As Lacy was illegally passing other vehicles, the driver of a northbound pickup truck abruptly braked and swerved right to avoid a head-on collision” with Lacy’s 2023 Dodge Charger.”
Behind that pickup was a Kia Cadenza car, whose driver swerved left to avoid (Lacy),” the release continued. “As the Cadenza took evasive action to avoid impact with (Lacy), it crossed the center line and collided head on with a southbound Kia Sorrento SUV” that was driven by Hall
Immediately after the crash, “Lacy drove around the crash scene and fled south on Louisiana Highway 20 without stopping to render aid, call emergency services, or report his involvement in the crash,” State Police said.
Lacy turned himself in two days later on Jan. 12 and was jailed at the Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex in Thibodaux briefly before being bailed out for $151,000. The Senior Bowl pulled back its December invitation to the star receiver to play in its game on Feb. 1 upon learning of the arrest.
One of LSU’s top receivers in the 2024 season, Lacy caught 58 passes for 866 yards and a team-high nine touchdowns last regular season before opting out of the Texas Bowl on Dec. 31. He caught 30 passes for 558 yards and seven touchdowns in the 2023 season. In 2022, he caught 24 passes for 268 yards after transferring from Louisiana-Lafayette, where he played in 2020 and ’21 as a backup. He signed with the Cajuns as the No. 51 receiver in the nation and No. 12 player in Louisiana out of Thibodaux High in 2020.
A projected mid-round pick in the seven-round NFL Draft on April 24-26 before the arrest, Lacy’s draft hopes are in jeopardy. That could improve if Lacy’s attorney’s statement this week is not proven false and the case is dropped or a plea deal is reached.
“I wish to address the charges of negligent homicide and clarify the facts surrounding this tragic incident,” Thibodaux attorney Matthew Ory said in a statement on Monday. “On the day of the accident, Mr. Lacy was driving on a road with two lanes in each direction. While he briefly passed other vehicles, he safely reentered his lane without incident. The collision that resulted in the death of Mr. Herman was not caused by Mr. Lacy’s actions. The accident occurred directly in front of him when a second vehicle in the oncoming lane crossed the center line and collided with Mr. Herman’s vehicle, in which he was a passenger.”
The last name of the person who died in the multi-car accident was Hall, not “Mr. Herman.” Ory included no information about any investigation he performed, if any, or how long and detailed it was.
“We are of information and belief that the vehicle that collided with Mr. Herman’s (Mr. Hall’s) vehicle was issued a citation,” Ory said. “At no time did Mr. Lacy’s vehicle strike the rear of Mr. Herman’s vehicle, nor did any of the vehicles Mr. Lacy passed collide with his. It is crucial to emphasize that Mr. Lacy did not cause or contribute to the crash. There was no suspicion of alcohol or drug use involved.”
The State Police report never mentioned any evidence of alcohol or drug use in its report of the mid-afternoon accident.
LSU coach Brian Kelly mentioned Ory’s statement on Wednesday when asked if Lacy will be allowed to take part in LSU’s Pro Day on March 26 before a host of NFL executives, general managers and coaches, which can dramatically enhance invited prospects’ draft chances.
“I know his lawyer just recently provided some information,” Kelly said. “That’s all I know. We’re going to have to monitor that situation probably before we make any decisions relative to his status in Pro Day.”
Lacy’s agent, Rocky Arceneaux of Alliance Sports Management, released a statement soon after the accident.
“First and foremost, Kyren is fully cooperating with the authorities,” he said. “We strongly believe that the facts will ultimately demonstrate the truth, but we respect the need for a full and thorough investigation. We recognize the concern and questions that may arise from these recent allegations. To anyone impacted, directly or indirectly, we want to assure that this matter is being taken very seriously, and we are committed to resolving it responsibly.”
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