*This article first appeared on AJC.com

ATHENS – Devin Willock’s father remains with family in Gainesville, Ga., and says he knows nothing of lawyers or press conferences.

Dave Willock, the father of the Georgia football player who died in a car accident early Sunday morning, said he, too, read reports of a press conference being planned for Thursday afternoon by Big Injury Lawyers at the Athens-Clarke County Courthouse. He said he doesn’t plan to be there and he has no plans at this time to sue the University of Georgia.

“I have no knowledge of a press conference; I heard about it on the news,” Dave Willock said in a telephone interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday morning. “I heard it on the news and I’m like, ‘What? Who said that?’ I don’t know anything about it.”

Devin Willock’s mother, Sharlene Willock, is also in Georgia.

A release on Wednesday announcing the planned press conference from Big Injury Lawyers and attorney Roy Willey said the family of Devin Willock would be at a 2 p.m. press conference today to discuss the accident and legal actions to be taken. When reached by the AJC about the apparent discrepancy of the family’s attendance, Brian Stellwag, who handles media relations for Poulin | Willey | Anastopoulo and Go Big Injury lawyers said that the Willock family’s attorney will appear at a press conference, now scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

“We have no comment at this time,” Stellwag said.

Asked if he planned to attend the press conference, even out of curiosity, Dave Willock said emphatically, “No!”

“I’m here; my son passed away; I’m emotional, dealing with hurt,” Dave Willock said. “I don’t know about that. I haven’t spoken to anyone yet.”

Devin Willock, 20, of New Milford, N.J., died in a car crash at 2:45 a.m. Sunday. A redshirt sophomore offensive lineman for the Bulldogs, Willock was riding in the back seat of a rented 2021 Ford Expedition with teammate Warren McClendon and two members of the Georgia football recruiting department.

The driver, Chandler LeCroy, also died in the crash. Tory Bowles, a backseat passenger who also works in recruiting, is still being treated for “serious injuries,” according to police. McClendon suffered minor injuries and was treated and released from Piedmont Athens Regional Hospital on Sunday.

Dave Willock said he is focusing only on his son. He said he does not plan any legal action, at least not at this time.

“No, Georgia is working with us,” the father said. “We have no reason to do that because they are compensating us 100 percent.”

It was unclear exactly what Willock meant by that statement.

“I’m focusing on my son, focusing on my heart,” he said. “We’re planning (Devin’s) send-off and everything. I’m doing all of that. That’s what I’m dealing with. I’m not dealing with any of that.”

The car LeCroy was driving was rented from Enterprise for the purpose of transporting recruits around campus, according to a person with knowledge Georgia recruiting. It remains unknown whether LeCroy was authorized to drive the vehicle at that time of night or if the trip they were making was approved by anyone at UGA.

The AJC sent a list of questions about the accident to Georgia Athletic Director Josh Brooks on Wednesday. UGA replied with the following statement:

“Our primary focus remains on providing comfort and support to the families and friends of Devin, Chandler, and the two others who were injured, as well as everyone impacted by this tragedy. Out of respect for the individuals and their families, we will not comment further at this time on the accident or the ongoing investigation.”

For the Willocks, the accident was a horrific repeat of what happened to another son 13 years ago. Jonathan Wheatley, Devin’s half-brother, was a passenger in a car returning to New Jersey after a night out in New York City with three friends on Sept. 5, 2009, according to a story written by NorthJersey.com. The car they were riding in was struck by another vehicle, struck a guard. Wheatley was ejected from the vehicle and died on the scene. He was also 20 years old.

Police said Devin Willock died on the scene Sunday after being ejected from the vehicle.

“Same way, same way, everything the same,” said the 58-year-old Dave Willock, who immigrated to the U.S. from Antigua 39 years ago. “Wee hours in the morning, accident, four people in the car, female driver, everything the same except for the kind of car. Same age, everything. They looked just alike, he played football, too. Everything.”

Asked how they are processing the tragedies, Willock said: “It’s hard, you know. I cry a lot. It makes me think, ‘why? Why does this happen?’ I just don’t know. You just take it one day at a time and it starts to fade.”

The Willocks have one other child. David Jr. is 23.

Dave Willock said a funeral will be held for his son at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday at the University of Georgia Chapel. An official announcement has not been made.

--AJC reporter Dylan Jackson contributed to this report.