6 days ago
Georgia football commit Chace Calicut charged in Texas drive-by shooting
Four-star Georgia football commit Chace Calicut, 17, has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly participating in a drive-by shooting earlier this month.
The Harris County (Texas) Sheriff's Office alleges Calicut is one of two Houston-area high schoolers who, on July 6, followed and shot at a car carrying two people with whom they had an ongoing dispute.
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'Calicut and the other defendant continually tried to block the car and stop it. They shot numerous times into the vehicle,' the sheriff's department said in a statement to The Athletic. 'Neither (person) was hit by gunfire. Detectives were able to interview the complainants and charge both (suspects).'
Calicut was allegedly behind the wheel during the shooting and is said to have driven erratically to block and pull alongside the other vehicle. The inhabitants of that vehicle told police that Calicut's only passenger, Isaiah Bruce Phillip, was the person who shot at them.
Phillip, also 17, was killed at a July 20 pool party shooting before police could arrest him. He died at the scene of the attack, with two other teens suffering injuries.
It's unclear whether there is a connection between the alleged drive-by shooting and the pool party attack, but Calicut has not been tied to or charged with anything related to that incident. Police have not publicly identified any suspects in the incident.
Calicut made his first court appearance Tuesday night and received a $20,000 bond. Public records indicate he is still in custody as of Wednesday evening. The judge ruled that he must wear a GPS monitoring device, cannot leave Harris County and cannot return to North Shore High. His arraignment, at which he will enter his plea, is Aug. 6.
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound safety committed to Georgia on June 27 after receiving 33 other offers from schools, including Alabama, Texas, Michigan and Miami, according to 247Sports. A senior set to graduate from high school next year, Calicut helped North Shore to a 14-1 record and a Texas 6A state semifinal appearance last season.
Calicut is the latest in a series of Georgia commits and players recently embroiled in criminal allegations.
On July 16, Georgia state police arrested offensive lineman Jah Jackson on marijuana possession charges. The team has not announced any discipline, letting the legal process play out. Jackson is expected to be a top reserve at left or right tackle if he remains with the team.
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Then-current Georgia wide receiver Nitro Tuggle and offensive lineman Marques Easley were also arrested this past spring for speeding and reckless driving. The program immediately suspended them, and both later entered the transfer portal. That marked a slight but definite change in how head coach Kirby Smart has handled arrests, especially for driving.
In the past, Georgia suspended first-time offenders for a game, or not at all. The team cannot comment on recruits until they are officially signed, per NCAA rules. Smart could eventually retract the players' scholarship offers, but that has not happened yet.
Since Smart took over the program in 2016, the Bulldogs have a 105-19 record and have won two national championships in three appearances. Georgia opens the 2025 season on Aug. 30 against Marshall.
(Photo of Chace Calicut leaping over an opponent during a game for North Shore High last season: Sara Diggins / Imagn Images)
