Julian Fleming charges explained: Alyssa Boyd's death, ATV crash details, investigation and more

A former college football player has been arraigned for his involvement in an all-terrain vehicle crash that killed his girlfriend last May.

The person in question was Julian Fleming, a former wide receiver for Ohio State and Penn State. He faced the court in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday for charges of homicide and aggravated assault with the use of a vehicle.

The incident took place near the Pennsylvania-New York border on May 23 when the 24-year-old former Green Bay Packers signee was driving an ATV when he hit a deer and crashed the vehicle, killing her girlfriend, Alicia Boyd.

Fleming, who was taken to a hospital to treat his injuries, was drunk at the time of the crash. Court documents showed that his blood alcohol level was .118, or above the legal limit in the state, which is .08.

The former football player admitted to the authorities he drank five or six beers before he rode the ATV with Boyd, who could've graduated from the University of Alabama with a bachelor's degree in Psychology in December if not for the fatal incident.

Boyd was also a standout athlete in high school, according to her online obituary that was featured on the New York Post on Wednesday.

Julian Fleming's counsel believes former football player was innocent

Julian Fleming's legal counsel, David Bahuriak, said the former wide receiver was innocent of the charges filed against him and the prosecution turned the incident into a criminal act.

“In my view, the prosecution here took a tragic and unavoidable accident and turned it into a crime when the facts don’t support that," the lawyer told TMZ. "The facts don’t support criminal homicide.”

Bahuriak added that his client was grieving for the loss of his loved one and the prosecution did something that doesn't help both parties find the proper closure on what took place that time.

Fleming spent four seasons with Ohio State beginning in 2020 before transferring to Penn State last year. In five seasons, he compiled a total of 1,139 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, per ESPN.

Fleming averaged 12.2 yards per carry in his career. He had a banner year in 2022 with the Buckeyes, when he caught 34 passes for 533 yards and six touchdowns.

He tried to make it to the NFL, signing with the Green Bay Packers. However, he was immediately released after failing a physical examination.