Stefan Wilson Suffers Broken Vertebrae ... In Indy 500 Practice Crash

052323_stefan_wilson_kal 5/23/23
HOSPITAL UPDATE
UPDATE

9:23 AM PT -- 5/23 -- Stefan Wilson just shared an update from his hospital bed ... saying he's "doing well, all things considered."

UPDATE

He thanked his fans for their support ... and vowed to try to make a full recovery in time for next year's Indy 500.

UPDATE

6:40 AM PT -- 5/23 -- Awful news for Stefan Wilson ... the driver's team revealed he suffered a fracture of the 12th thoracic vertebrae in the crash and will now be forced to miss this weekend's big race.

UPDATE

The team added that Wilson stayed overnight at the hospital "for further tests and observation."

Scary moment at Indianapolis 500 practice on Monday ... Stefan Wilson was taken off the track on a stretcher after his car violently collided with a wall during a wild wreck.

The crash happened just moments ago at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway ... when Katherine Legge got into Wilson's ride in Turn 1.

You can see in video of the accident, Legge struck Wilson with so much force ... both of their cars skidded into a nearby wall -- with Wilson's vehicle seemingly getting the worst of the impact.

Trainers immediately raced to tend to both drivers ... and, eventually, Wilson was strapped to a backboard and loaded into an ambulance.

Thankfully, Wilson was able to give a thumbs up just before he was transported to a nearby hospital ... and, according to IndyCar medical director Dr. Julia Vaizer, he's now "doing well" and is "in good spirits."

Legge, meanwhile, was evaluated by medics following the crash -- but has since been cleared to drive again.

The scene couldn't have been scarier for the 33-year-old Wilson and his family ... as Wilson's older brother, Justin, tragically died in an on-track accident back in 2015.

It's unclear if Stefan or Legge will now be able to race in the 107th iteration of the Indy 500 on Sunday.

Originally Published -- 5/22 2:08 PM PT

White House Scare U-Haul Driver Carrying Nazi Flag ... Crashes Near Presidential Palace

052323_uhaul_capitoL-KAL
WHAT THE TRUCK
Storyful
UPDATE

6:30 AM PT -- The driver of the truck has been identified as 19-year-old, Sai Varshith Kandula, from Missouri. He was arrested on multiple charges, including threatening to kill or harm a president, vice president or family member.

UPDATE

The White House almost got an unwanted visitor Monday night ... a U-Haul driver carrying a Nazi flag careened into security barriers right across the street from where President Joe Biden sleeps.

Secret Service rep Anthony Guglielmi tweeted ... the truck driver crashed into a barricade in Lafayette Square around 10 PM ... but, according to a witness who spoke to CBS, the suspect was actually aiming for the White House a stone's throw away.

Guglielmi said no one was injured and the cause of the accident was under investigation, but he suggested the driver might have intentionally rammed the barriers.

Police rapidly descended on the scene and arrested the driver, who had the Nazi flag on him. Law enforcement sources told CBS the man is an American citizen who made threats against President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. The suspect -- whose name was not disclosed -- had no guns, knives or explosives.

Police sources also told CBS ... the man was not on any FBI watch lists and did not appear to have a significant rap sheet.

Federal authorities charged the man with assault with a dangerous weapon (the truck), reckless operation of a motor vehicle, a threaten to kill, kidnap or inflict harm on a president, vice president or family member and destruction of federal property and trespassing.

Originally Published -- 5:43 AM PT

Dollar Store Takedown Employee Chases Down, Hits Alleged Thief with Car ... Crazy Video Shows

dollar store fixed
HIT & RUN

One dollar store employee appears to be taking security detail into her own hands ... taking down an alleged shoplifter with her own damn car!

Check out the doorbell footage, taken earlier this month ... the guy riding a bike with a basket full of goodies gets absolutely NAILED by the employee's ride, sending him straight to the concrete -- and scattering the alleged stolen items all over someone's yard.

The man starts picking some stuff up before she whacks him with the car door -- but he doesn't give up once all seems lost, calling her a "b****" while still trying to recover some of his lost merch. She even chucks his bike away from him as he keeps cussin' her out!

It's a pretty insane clip ... she claims this isn't the first time stuff has been swiped from her store, and he even says he's gonna press charges after he got knocked off his bike -- but she clearly couldn't care less, peeling off as he walks away with his hands full of whatever he could grab.

It's currently unclear if the man was arrested.

'Go Topless Weekend' TX Jeep Event Ends with 230+ Arrests ... Cops Call It 'Successful'

052223_galveston_party-kal
SANDY PARTY
Fox 26 Houston

A massive event for Jeep fanatics, called "Go Topless Weekend," became a po-po hotspot ... with cops busting more than 230 people during the wild event.

The Jeep-focused celebration took place in Galveston County, TX, and saw tons of Jeep owners flocking to the beach in their unique rides. The event looks kinda like an adult spring break, and the Sheriff's Office treated it like it, making 155 arrests on Friday alone ... before topping out at 234 by midday Sunday!

Police revealed the huge number of arrests during a Sunday news conference where they said 221 arrests were misdemeanors -- things like public intoxication and disorderly conduct ... the usual for enormous beach parties.

The other 13 people are facing felonies, and the Sheriff's Office says at least 2 more incidents are being investigated -- including a car accident where a woman was thrown from a vehicle and suffered a serious head injury.

Despite all the red flags, authorities are still calling the Jeep party a "successful event" because they roughly made the same number of arrests last year.

One Sheriff's official said, "We feel like we got a pretty good handle on the overall safety of it."

Henry Ruggs DUI Crash Police Video Man Pleaded With Cops ... 'He Plays For The Raiders, He Needs Help ASAP!!!'

051923_henry_ruggs_kal
NEWLY RELEASED FOOTAGE

A man begged cops over and over again at the scene of the Henry Ruggs car crash in Las Vegas to get help for the ex-NFL star "ASAP" ... newly released police video shows.

In the footage, which was captured on Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Dept. officers' body cameras just after Ruggs had crashed his Corvette into Tina Tintor's Toyota on Nov. 2, 2021, you can see one of the people at the scene of the fiery wreck was desperate to get aid for Ruggs.

Repeatedly, the man can be heard on camera telling a cop to have medical personnel rush to Ruggs quickly ... as 23-year-old Tintor and her dog were dying in a blaze just feet away.

"I know somebody probably in there," the man said of Tintor's Rav4, "but this is Henry Ruggs right here. This is Henry Ruggs right here. He plays for the Raiders. He needs help ASAP."

An officer told the guy to calm down ... but he continued to plead for aid for the former wide receiver as cops surveyed the crash site.

"Hey, look, he plays for the Raiders," the man repeated. "He needs help ASAP, bro."

Eventually, a cop told the man and others at the scene medical responders were on their way to Ruggs, who was sitting on the street near a curb.

The video also shows just how horrifying the crash was -- in the clip, you can hear explosions coming from Tintor's vehicle as it burned in the middle of the roadway.

After the scene had been cleared, cops were seen on video discussing the crash ... with one officer saying he believed he could see skid marks and debris several yards away from where the two vehicles came to a stop following the collision.

As we reported, Ruggs was ultimately hit with five charges over his role in the crash ... after authorities alleged he had been traveling at 156 MPH while drunk just moments before he slammed into Tintor.

Ruggs, 24, reached an agreement with prosecutors to close out the case earlier this month ... pleading guilty to one felony count of a DUI resulting in death and one misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter. In exchange, the rest of the charges against Ruggs were dropped.

As part of the deal, Ruggs agreed to spend 3-10 years behind bars. He'll learn the exact length of the prison sentence at a hearing on Aug. 9.

'General Hospital' Star Haley Pullos Busted For DUI After Wrong-Way Driving Freeway Crash

Haley Pullos, known for her work on "General Hospital," was arrested for a DUI after allegedly causing a major freeway wreck ... one she's lucky to have survived, based on some horrific crash scene photos.

Haley, who plays Molly Lansing-Davis on the long-running soap opera, told Soap Opera Digest last week that she was taking a break from the show to recover from a car accident -- but according to a police report, Haley left out a few key details.

In the document, obtained by TMZ, cops say Haley was driving on a freeway in Pasadena on April 29 ... when she swerved, flew over the dividing barrier, and into oncoming traffic.

She ended up colliding head-on with another car that was going about 60 mph.

When cops arrived at the crash scene, they say Haley was unable to exit her car. Firefighters helped free her and got her into an ambulance .... where things got weird and a little violent.

Police say a firefighter was assessing her injuries when she struck him and shouted, "This is a $400 f***ing shirt!"

When they searched her car, cops say they found weed edibles and mini-bottles of tequila.

Haley was taken to the hospital ... cops met her there and say she showed clear signs she'd been driving under the influence -- noting the smell of alcohol on her breath, slurred speech, and watery eyes.

She was arrested for felony DUI while still at the hospital ... and cops note she got aggressive and fought hospital staff. They eventually had to sedate her.

The driver of the other car survived but was hospitalized with major injuries.

britney art 2
TMZ INVESTIGATES

What's more ... cops tell TMZ Haley was also involved in a hit-and-run traffic collision before her gruesome freeway crash.

Pasadena Fire Dept. shared pics of the accident, warning people not to drink and drive.

We reached out to Haley's rep ... so far, no word back.

Jimmy Graham Back On Bike After Terrifying Crash ... 'Stitches And All 😅'

051623_jimmy_graham_kal
BACK ON THE BIKE

Jimmy Graham ain't letting his horrible bike crash stop him from pedaling again ... the ex-NFL star said Tuesday he's already back on the road -- "stitches and all."

The former Saints tight end was all smiles as he, once again, cruised through the roadways on two wheels in Miami ... less than a week after a car slammed into him and his bike, injuring his back and leg.

Check out footage the 36-year-old posted of his AM ride to his Instagram page ... he looked overjoyed to be healthy and riding again.

"Back on it," Graham captioned the video.

Graham was initially hurt last week ... when the 5-time Pro Bowler said a vehicle turned into him while he was going around 20 MPH.

Graham initially thought his leg was broken when he got hit ... but, thankfully, all of his bones were intact. The former footballer said he did suffer wounds, though, sustaining a massive gash on his calf while losing skin on his back.

"I guess the guy in the one lane didn't see me because the sun was coming up and just took a left and T-boned me," Graham said of the accident on "The Pat McAfee Show."

"Luckily I had a helmet on."

You can also see in Graham's clip that he got a new ride ... and thanked MPH Paint and Elite Cycling Miami for "getting me back on the road with the new Pinn-Daddy."

Stay safe out there, Jimmy!!

Ex-NFL Star Jimmy Graham Reveals Gnarly Leg Wound ... Suffered In Bike Crash

UPDATE

1:25 PM PT -- Jimmy Graham just shared a photo of the leg wound he suffered in the crash ... and -- WARNING -- it's gnarly.

UPDATE

10:41 AM PT -- Jimmy Graham just went into detail about his terrifying bike accident ... explaining to A.J. Hawk on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Thursday that in addition to the leg wound he suffered, he also "ripped all the skin off my back."

UPDATE

Graham estimated he was going about 20 MPH when the car collided with him.

UPDATE
UPDATE

The ex-Saints tight end added that he initially believed his leg was shattered in the wreck.

UPDATE

"It ended up just being a cut," the former All-Pro said. "I think all the years of punishment in the NFL kind of built the calluses up, you know?"

UPDATE

Graham said he was, thankfully, wearing a helmet -- and appeared to now be doing just fine.

Former NFL All-Pro Jimmy Graham was hit by a car during a bike ride earlier this week ... and, according to his buddy and former Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk, the ex-tight end suffered a gnarly gash on his leg.

Hawk said on Wednesday's 'Pat McAfee Show' the terrifying incident went down in South Florida earlier this week ... when Graham was cruising on two wheels on Miami roadways.

Hawk revealed that during the ride, a car suddenly turned left ... and smashed into the former New Orleans Saints Pro Bowler.

Fortunately, it seems Graham escaped without significant injuries ... but Hawk said the 36-year-old did sustain a gnarly wound on his calf.

"He has a slice on his calf that looked like he had worms growing out of it," Hawk said. "It was so deep and all the stuff in there you could see. Now he has tons of stitches and all of that."

Graham addressed the wreck on his Instagram page shortly after Hawk broke the news ... saying he felt sore as hell -- almost as if he had just played in a Sunday NFL game.

"My body has certainly built up a callus for punishment over the years," he added. "I'll be fine. Stay safe out there."

Graham also shared a picture of a new racing bike -- insinuating the one he used in the accident was destroyed.

Of course, this is not the first time Graham has been involved in a near-death accident ... back in 2021, he was in a rollover car crash. Thankfully, he avoided serious injury there too.

Stay safe, Jimmy!!!

Originally Published -- 5/10 1:36 PM PT

Henry Ruggs Will Spend 3-10 Years In Prison ... After Judge Accepts Plea Deal

051023_henry_ruggs_kal
FACING THE JUDGE
Fox 5
UPDATE

11:52 AM PT -- Tina Tintor's family released a statement following Wednesday's hearing ... saying, "Today, like every day, we remember Tina and Max, and how they were taken from us that fateful night. No sentence will ever bring Tina and Max back, but we hope that everyone learns from this preventable incident so that no other families suffer like we do."

UPDATE

"We appreciate the efforts of the district attorney’s office to overcome the issues caused by the initial investigation, and we look forward to putting this behind us so that we can focus on honoring the memories of Tina and Max."

Henry Ruggs will officially be sentenced to 3-to-10 years behind bars later this summer ... after a judge formally accepted his plea deal on Wednesday morning.

The former Las Vegas Raiders star appeared in court to enter guilty pleas to one felony count of a DUI resulting in death and one misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter after reaching an agreement with officials earlier this month.

As part of the deal, prosecutors agreed to drop the rest of the ex-football player's charges stemming from his November 2021 car crash.

The judge asked Ruggs -- who was wearing a navy suit with a blue tie -- several questions during the proceedings ... before she ultimately accepted the parameters of the agreement.

Ruggs will now learn whether it'll be closer to three or 10 years in prison at a sentencing hearing on August 9.

As we previously reported, Ruggs had been facing more than 50 years behind bars after prosecutors had initially hit him with five total charges following allegations he drunkenly slammed his Corvette into the back of Tina Tintor's Rav4 ... killing her and her dog.

They alleged at the time that Ruggs had traveled 156 MPH just before the crash with a BAC of .161.

110421_henry_ruggs_crash_kal NOVEMBER 2021
THE AFTERMATH
TMZSports.com

Ruggs' attorneys, David Z. Chesnoff and Richard A. Schonfeld said last week when the 24-year-old first agreed to the plea deal that it all was "a fair resolution to this matter."

Clark County district attorney Steven B. Wolfson said of the ruling Wednesday, "This outcome accomplished our three most important goals: (1) convict Henry Ruggs of the strictest charge allowed by Nevada law for drunk driving; (2) send Henry Ruggs to prison; and (3) eliminate his ability to appeal his conviction and prison sentence."

Wolfson added, "Tina's family members are the most important people in this process, and I met with them several times before reaching this resolution."

Originally Published -- 9:39 AM PT

UFC Fighter Tony Ferguson Busted for DUI After Truck Flips Over in Hollywood

UFC fighter Tony Ferguson was no match for cops early Sunday ... he was busted for DUI.

Tony apparently crashed his pickup truck into 2 parked cars outside a Hollywood club just before 2 AM. His truck flipped on its side. Miraculously, he was not injured nor was anyone else.

050523_tony_furgeson_1610917
DRUNK AND DANGEROUS
ONSCENE.TV

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Tony refused to take a field sobriety test and was "very uncooperative" at the scene.

According to our sources, the cops who eyeballed him say he reeked of alcohol and had bloodshot eyes.

Tony was arrested at the scene and is facing misdemeanor DUI. He's also facing license suspension for refusing the field sobriety test.

Rapper Cash Gotti, the owner of one of the cars Tony allegedly hit says he came out of the club to find his Mercedes destroyed.

Just another night in Hollywood.

Henry Ruggs Poses For New Mug Shot ... After Taking Plea Deal

Henry Ruggs was back at the Clark County Detention Center in Nevada this week ... where TMZ Sports has learned authorities made him pose for a new mug shot.

Because the former Raiders star took a plea deal from prosecutors in his DUI crash case on Tuesday, cops tell us he was required to head back to the Las Vegas jail on Thursday to be reprocessed.

As part of the procedure, Ruggs took a new photo ... and you can see, he didn't appear to be pleased to be back in front of a jail camera again.

Of course, the last time the 24-year-old had to pose for a mug shot was in 2021 ... after authorities accused him of drunkenly slamming his sports car into the back of Tina Tintor's Toyota, killing her and her dog.

At the time, Ruggs -- who was wearing a neck brace -- had visible cuts and bruises on his face in his mug shot.

Ruggs has since recovered from the injuries he suffered in the crash -- and his attorneys told a courtroom this week he reached an agreement with prosecutors to close out the criminal case against him.

Ruggs said he'll plead guilty to one felony count of DUI resulting in death and one misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter. In exchange, prosecutors said they'll drop the rest of the charges against the former NFL player.

If the plea deal is accepted at a court hearing next week, Ruggs will eventually be sentenced to anywhere from 3-to-10 years in prison.

Gervonta Davis Avoids Jail Time In Hit-&-Run Case ... Gets House Arrest

Gervonta Davis just scored a big win in court -- he avoided a jail sentence in his hit-and-run case ... getting hit with three months of house arrest instead.

The star boxer learned his fate inside of a Baltimore courtroom minutes ago ... less than three months after he cut a plea deal with prosecutors in the case.

As part of the agreement he made with officials back on Feb. 16, Davis pleaded guilty to four lesser offenses ... and at his sentencing hearing on Friday, a judge did not throw him behind bars, instead ordering him to serve 90 days of home detention. The 28-year-old fighter was also ordered to complete 200 hours of community service.

Davis was initially hit with 14 charges in the case back in March 2021 ... after authorities alleged he ran a red light in his 2020 Lamborghini Urus and slammed it into a Toyota on Nov. 5, 2020 -- just days after his big win over Leo Santa Cruz.

Prosecutors claimed a woman in the car that Davis hit was pregnant at the time of the wreck. They accused Davis of never offering her assistance before fleeing the scene.

If convicted on all of the charges, Davis had faced a potential maximum of 7 YEARS and 55 days in prison.

Davis, who just scored the biggest win of his boxing career in a fight with Ryan Garcia last month, ain't out of the woods criminally just yet ... even though he closed out the case in Baltimore on Friday -- he still has a case lingering over his head in Broward County, Fla.

In that case, the boxer is facing a misdemeanor battery charge -- stemming from allegations he roughed up a woman during a heated Dec. 27 argument. He's due in court for a hearing on the matter later this month.

NFL Prospect Michael Jefferson Suspected Of Being Under Influence In Crash ... Cops Say

Cops in Alabama say their initial report of Michael Jefferson's car crash was wrong ... telling TMZ Sports on Wednesday they now believe the 2023 NFL Draft prospect was the one who was impaired on the night of the tragic wreck last month.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency says it somehow mixed up the drivers of the two vehicles in its first report of the fatal car accident on April 9 in Mobile County, AL.

Initially, the ALEA claimed Jefferson was driving a 2019 Chevrolet Impala ... before Charles Dunn slammed head-on into it in his 2014 Dodge Charger.

Now, however, the ALEA says Jefferson was actually driving the Charger -- while Dunn was in the Impala.

That means, according to the crash report, cops suspect Jefferson was the one who was under the influence of both alcohol and drugs at the time of the accident -- not Dunn.

It also means, per a diagram of the crash in the report, that Jefferson (labeled Unit 1) is the one who was traveling in a southbound lane before moving into Dunn's northbound lane, headed in the wrong direction, before colliding with the 55-year-old (labeled Unit 2) head-on.

As we reported, Dunn died as a result of the crash. Jefferson -- a former star wideout at Louisiana who was in line to get drafted last month before the wreck -- sustained significant injuries that required several surgeries.

Police told us an investigation into the crash remains ongoing. According to the report, the 23-year-old's blood was taken following the crash, but the results have not yet come back.

Meanwhile, Jefferson's attorney, Brad Sohn, told us on Wednesday he had "absolutely no reason to believe that Michael Jefferson is under criminal investigation or has ever been under investigation."

Dunn's family told us in a statement they now want a public apology from Jefferson and his representatives ... adding, "Charles Dunn never drank or smoked in his life and we would like for his name to be cleared."

Jefferson was considered to be one of the 30 best available receivers in the 2023 NFL Draft prior to the accident ... though he ultimately went unpicked. Sohn previously said the wide receiver was optimistic he'd play football again despite the severity of the injuries he suffered.

Henry Ruggs Agrees To Spend 3-10 Years In Prison ... Judge To Decide Next

Henry Ruggs has agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors in his DUI case ... and now, he could spend the next decade of his life behind bars if a judge signs off on the agreement.

Ruggs and his attorneys revealed the details of the deal at a hearing in a Nevada courtroom on Tuesday morning ... explaining the former Raiders star receiver will plead guilty to one felony count of DUI resulting in death and one misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter stemming from the fatal car crash in Las Vegas that he was involved in back in November 2021.

In exchange for the guilty pleas, prosecutors said they will drop the rest of the charges against the former NFL player.

As part of the agreement, Ruggs' attorneys also told the courtroom the 24-year-old would accept a sentence that included prison time of anywhere from 3 to 10 years.

Ruggs spoke briefly at the hearing, saying he agreed to all of the details of the outlined deal.

A judge is now expected to rule on the agreement at another hearing next week. If the judge does not agree to the stipulations, Ruggs' attorneys said the deal allows for his client to withdraw the guilty pleas and move forward with a trial.

"This is the first step toward a fair resolution to this matter," Ruggs' lawyers, David Z. Chesnoff and Richard A. Schonfeld, said following the hearing, "and we look forward to closure for all the parties involved."

As we reported, Ruggs was initially hit with four felonies and a misdemeanor in the case ... after prosecutors say he drunkenly slammed his Corvette into the back of Tina Tintor's Toyota Rav4, killing her and her dog.

110421_henry_ruggs_crash_kal NOVEMBER 2021
THE AFTERMATH
TMZSports.com

According to prosecutors, Ruggs was traveling at 156 MPH just before the crash ... with a blood alcohol level that was twice the legal limit.

Ruggs, the 12th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, was cut by the Raiders immediately after the accident ... and hasn't played a down in the NFL since.

We covered it all in a recent episode of the TMZ Sports Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Ex-UFC Fighter Felipe Colares Dead At 29 ... Hit By Bus In Brazil

Former UFC fighter Felipe Colares tragically died at 29 years old on Monday after he was hit by a bus in Brazil.

Colares -- aka "Cabocão" -- was struck in the streets of Guaratiba, a large neighborhood in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro, according to Globo Esporte.

The Brazilian outlet reported Colares had just finished a training session when the accident occurred. The MMA fighter's teammate, Kleydson Rodrigues, confirmed the awful news to Sherdog reporter Christian Stein on Monday afternoon as well.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Colares began his professional MMA career in 2013 ... and dominated early, winning his first eight fights. He later debuted in the UFC in 2019 against Geraldo de Freitas Jr.

Colares fought for Dana White's fight promotion several more times ... until he was released in 2022.

Colares gained national fame back in January ... when he helped thwart a robbery in Brazil. He said he used his jiu-jitsu skills to corral the suspect ... before police arrived on the scene to take the man into custody.

Colares piled up an 11-4 record in his career ... and following his passing, ARES Fighting Championship -- where he last fought -- sent its condolences to his family and friends.

R.I.P.

Eagles' Nakobe Dean Slams Jalen Carter Critics ... He's 'A Great Kid'

042823-nakobe-dean-kal
LEVELIN' UP TOGETHER
TMZSports.com

Ex-UGA star Nakobe Dean doesn't believe the Eagles should be concerned about Jalen Carter one bit despite his troubles leading up to the NFL draft ... telling TMZ Sports his former college teammate is "a great kid."

Dean -- who played with Carter for two seasons at Georgia from 2020 through 2021 -- had nothing but positive things to say about his Bulldog buddy after Philadelphia selected the 22-year-old with the ninth overall pick in the first round Thursday night.

Dean called Carter "the best player in the draft" this year ... and added he has no concerns on or off the field whatsoever about the defensive tackle.

"He's a hard worker," Dean said. "He wants to win. He's going to do whatever it takes to win. He's going to do whatever he needs for the team to win."

Of course, Carter entered this weekend's draft with a whole lot of question marks ... particularly after he was charged with two misdemeanors stemming from his alleged role in a fatal car crash back in January.

Dean, though, believes none of that was indicative of Carter's true character.

"I know him to be a great kid," the linebacker said. "All the critics and everybody in the media try to claim him to be a bad guy. It's crazy to me. But I'm happy for him, and I'm ready for him to get to Philly so we can work."

Later in the first round, Philly also selected another former Bulldog, Nolan Smith, who played with Dean at Georgia. While Dean told us he knew the Eagles were interested in Carter and Smith, he didn't think the front office could snag both guys ... but he's sure as hell happy they did.

Dean says going forward, having so many ex-UGA stars on one team will only help the rest of the guys in the Eagles' locker room.