Fri Nov 22 10:20:00 UTC 2024: ## Former American Idol Contestant Caleb Kennedy Sentenced to Prison for DUI Crash That Killed Man

**Spartanburg, SC** – Caleb Kennedy, a former contestant on American Idol, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for a felony DUI charge resulting in death. The 20-year-old pleaded guilty on Monday to the charge stemming from a February 2022 incident where he struck and killed 54-year-old Larry Duane Parris.

Kennedy, who reached the Top 5 on season 19 of American Idol before being dismissed following a controversial video, was initially sentenced to 25 years and a $25,100 fine. However, this was reduced to eight years and a $15,100 fine, with an additional five years of probation, mental health counseling, and substance abuse treatment. Three years of his sentence will be served on home detention, and he will receive credit for time already served, effectively resulting in approximately one year remaining behind bars.

The accident occurred when Kennedy’s pickup truck veered off the road and into a garage where Parris was working. Warrants cited marijuana use from a vape pen and an increased dosage of Prozac as contributing factors. Kennedy’s attorney, Ryan Beasley, stated that the incident was a “weird reaction from his prescription medicine and possibly THC,” and emphasized Kennedy’s remorse and lack of prior criminal record.

Parris’s family, including his wife and daughter, delivered an emotional plea at a virtual court hearing, expressing their grief and devastation. The Solicitor, Barry J. Barnette, highlighted the case as a demonstration of the dangers associated with vape pens. The incident has brought renewed attention to the tragic consequences of impaired driving.

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