Former Ohio State wide receiver Julian Fleming has begun serving a 9-to-24-month prison sentence after the fatal ATV crash case that killed his girlfriend, Alyssa Boyd. The Bradford County judge issued the sentence on July 20 after Fleming’s plea deal.

His sentencing was confirmed by NBC4 Columbus earlier today.

The accident happened late at night on May 23, 2025, on a dark road in Columbia Township, Pennsylvania. Fleming was driving a brand-new Yamaha ATV with Alyssa riding on the back. Out of nowhere, a deer jumped directly into their path, and they slammed right into it going about 30 to 40 miles per hour. A neighbor nearby said she heard a loud pop and then a bunch of banging sounds, which made her jump in her car to go see what happened.

Another nearby neighbor also said she heard a loud sound and had rushed out to see what had happened. Both riders were thrown from the ATV, and neither one was wearing a helmet. Alyssa severely fractured her skull, tragically passing away on the spot. Julian Fleming lived to tell the tale but suffered major back and hip injuries that required an emergency trip to the hospital.

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Things got legally complicated fast once the police started testing Fleming’s blood and found him positive for alcohol. His blood-alcohol content was 0.118%, exceeding Pennsylvania’s 0.08% legal limit. Julian Fleming also told troopers he had drunk about five or six beers that night.

The prosecutors initially charged him with a string of offences including four felony charges. These included homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle while driving under the influence, and misdemeanor DUI and careless driving.

But Fleming’s defense lawyer argued that the deer made it an unavoidable freak accident that would’ve happened even if he had been completely sober. The district attorney actually ended up agreeing, admitting it would be almost impossible to prove to a jury that the alcohol, not the deer, caused the death.

Before the judge sentenced Fleming on July 19, his family tried their best and successfully worked out a plea deal in April 2026. The state dropped over a dozen serious felonies, and Fleming pleaded guilty to downgraded misdemeanor charges of involuntary manslaughter and DUI. Before sentencing him to county jail, the judge looked over a massive pile of supportive letters from Fleming’s old coaches and friends, which resulted in him receiving six months of probation and permission to do a work-release program while locked up.

Offseason injuries resulting in such tragedies are not as rare as we would want them to be. In 2021, former Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs made the conscious choice to drive a sports car at a reckless, blinding speed of 156 mph down a public suburban street with a staggering 0.161% BAC, burning 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog alive inside her vehicle. Ruggs received a strict 3-to-10-year state prison sentence for felony DUI causing death.

Whether it is a reckless street race or a midnight ride on an ATV without helmets, these preventable choices continue to destroy families, cut young lives short, and instantly erase promising athletic careers in exchange for a few hours of impaired thrill-seeking.

Julian Fleming’s career in doubt

Julian Fleming was a five-star coming out of college, one of the best college wide receivers in the country in his class.

Fleming played four seasons at Ohio State from 2020 to 2023. In 38 games, he caught 79 passes for 963 yards and seven touchdowns. His best season came in 2022, when he recorded 34 catches for 533 yards and six touchdowns, becoming one of the Buckeyes’ top receivers. However, an injury here and there at Columbus robbed him of his full potential.

He transferred to Penn State for his final season in 2024. Even though he wasn’t picked in the 2025 NFL Draft, he still got a chance to sign with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent.

But that chance didn’t last long. During a routine team physical, the Packers found that Fleming still had serious back and hip injuries. Because of those injuries, the team waived him and canceled his contract. With the prison sentence now added to those injuries, his NFL path is in serious doubt.