Caleb Kennedy, former American Idol contestant, has had his 25-year DUI prison sentence cut down to 8 years.
Caleb Kennedy, a former contestant on American Idol, has received a sentence for a felony DUI charge, almost three years after he was involved in a fatal accident that took the life of a father in South Carolina.
Kennedy was set to face trial, but on Monday, Nov. 18, he entered a guilty plea to a felony charge of driving under the influence that resulted in death, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the 7th Circuit in Spartanburg County to PEOPLE.
Initially sentenced to 25 years in prison and a fine of $25,100, he saw his sentence reduced to eight years and his fine lowered to $15,100. Kennedy, 20, is required to complete five years of probation and participate in mental health and substance abuse counseling.
Solicitor Barry J. Barnette, who prosecuted Kennedy, stated, “This case shows the dangers of vape pens to society.”
A 17-year-old singer’s Ford pickup truck veered off the road, covering 175 yards before colliding with a garage where 54-year-old Larry Duane Parris was working in Spartanburg, S.C. Parris was pronounced dead at the hospital three hours following the crash, which occurred at 12:30 p.m.
According to FOX Carolina, Kennedy’s defense claimed that his Prozac dosage had been raised just prior to the crash. Meanwhile, The Greenville News noted that he was allegedly driving under the influence of marijuana after using a vape pen, as stated in the warrants. According to the warrants, Kennedy was heading to his girlfriend’s house when the accident occurred, while Parris was on the phone.
In a recent statement to FOX Carolina, Beasley expressed that Kennedy wishes to convey his sincere condolences to the Parris family and acknowledges his responsibility for the accident, hoping for healing for all those impacted by this tragedy.
According to his obituary, Parris founded the Parris Construction Company and was a member of New Beginnings Church.
Weeks following the accident, family members, including his wife Donna and daughter Kelsi, made a heartfelt appeal during a virtual court hearing for Kennedy, urging the judge to refuse him bond.
Kennedy participated in the 19th season of American Idol in 2021, reaching the Top 5. He was removed from the show following the emergence of a controversial video featuring him with a friend dressed in a hood resembling those associated with the Ku Klux Klan.
According to The Greenville News, he will serve three years of his sentence under home detention. He will get credit for the almost three years he has already completed, indicating he will probably spend around a year in prison.