'It's terrible:' Georgia football fans Sugar Bowl trip comes amid 10 killed from truck crash in New Orleans

‘It’s terrible:’ Georgia football fans Sugar Bowl trip comes amid 10 killed from truck crash in New Orleans

Posted by author January 1, 2025 Football

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NEW ORLEANS —Georgia football fans who traveled here for the Sugar Bowl woke up Wednesday to the horrific news of 10 killed and more than 30 injured by a truck driven into crowds on famed Bourbon Street near where they were staying in hotels.

The tragedy came at about 3:15 a.m., as the city celebrated the new year by lighting off fireworks and at the start of a day where Georgia will play Notre Dame at night in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal.

Eric Iacovazzi from Concord, N.C., was surveying the scene outside the Crowne Plaza Astor Hotel, which is located on Canal Street at Bourbon Street. He was among thousands of Bulldogs fans who traveled to this city for the game.

Yellow police tape was hanging and police cars were parked inside and outside that area, some with lights flashing and with officers standing nearby. An Orleans Parrish coroner van was also parked.

“Crazy,” said Iacovazzi, wearing a Georgia cap and hoodie.

Georgia football staffer Bryant Gantt had walked the two blocks from the New Orleans Marriott where the team is staying for the game to take a look.

At 12:14 p.m., the University of Georgia’s athletic association issued a statement on social media.

“We are deeply saddened by the senseless violence that occurred in New Orleans. All team personnel and members of the official team travel party have been accounted for,” the UGA athletic association wrote. “Currently, we are in contact with local law enforcement as well as representatives from the Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff and are continuing to gather more information. Our prayers are with all those who traveled here for the Sugar Bowl and entire New Orleans community.”

A UGA student was injured in the crash.

“At this point, we have learned that a University of Georgia student was critically injured in the attack and is receiving medical treatment,” UGA preisdent Jere Morehead said in a statement on social media. “I have spoken to the student’s family and shared my concern, support and well wishes on behalf of the entire UGA community.”

Authorities had announced earlier at a press conference that of those killed and injured “it seems the majority are locals vs. tourists.”

UGA student affairs sent out a police community notification Wednesday morning that authorities in New Orleans are asking those in the Bourbon Street, Canal Street and St. Ann Street areas to shelter in place until further guidance and that there “no information to indicate that there is any threat to the UGA Campus in Athens.”

Later the morning of New Year’s Day, the University of Georgia offered a statement on the incident.

“We are horrified and saddened by the senseless act of violence that occurred in the early hours of New Year’s Day in New Orleans,” the University wrote on X. “University personnel are working to determine if any UGA students, faculty, staff, alumni or fans were among the victims. We offer our deepest condolences to all the victims and their families, and we stand in solidarity with the New Orleans community.”

The Georgia Redcoat Marching Band was in town for the game as well and later shared on social media that all students and staff members were safe.

Iacovazzi’s hotel was not evacuated, but others in the area were.

Iacovazzi’s daughter, a University of Georgia senior, is with him on the trip. She woke him up to tell him about what happened.

“She woke up and heard all that noise, but she didn’t know what happened,” he said. “Her grandparents were calling her all night wondering if we were OK.”

Iacovazzi and his daughter had returned to the hotel by 12:15 a.m. They were at the Caesars casino not far away to ring in the new year.

He had asked her if they wanted to go to Bourbon Street before returning to the hotel but she didn’t.

Andy Sorrels, 37, a financial advisor from Bogart who was also staying at the Crowne Plaza , said he learned of the incident at about 6:25 a.m. local time.

“I looked up and had a lot of text messages,” he said. “People were asking if we were OK. I started looking at Twitter and the news and all that and figured out what happened.”

He ate dinner at a hotel restaurant on New Year’s Eve but did not go to Bourbon Street.

He looked out from a second floor balcony of the hotel for about an hour and a half instead and was in bed by 11:15 p.m.

“It’s terrible,” he said. “I’m more worried about the people that were actually affected than how it affects me. It’s terrible that this could actually happen.”

Former Georgia tight end Leonard Pope was sitting in the lobby of the Sheraton New Orleans, across the street from the Marriott. The Sheraton is also the media hotel for the Sugar Bowl.

Pope woke up to the news after going to a concert by rapper Juvenile on New Year’s Eve and then bought some pralines and came back to his room.

“We’re praying for their families and hoping things can get together real soon,” said Pope, who played in the NFL for seven seasons including with the Cardinals and Chiefs. “We’re here supporting the Bulldogs and down here just visiting family as well.”

Pope said he had been trading messages on a group chat with Charles Grant, David Jacobs, George Foster and Sean Jones.

Wednesday night’s Sugar Bowl CFP quarterfinal game between Georgia and Notre Dame is scheduled to kick off at 8:50 p.m. ET

“The Sugar Bowl Committee is devastated by the terrible events from early this morning,” Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley said in a statement at about 9 a.m. ET. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We are in ongoing discussions with authorities on the local, state, and federal levels and will communicate further details as they become available.”

(This story has been updated to add new quotes and information.)