American Idol star sentenced for DUI crash that killed man in his driveway
American Idol singer Caleb Kennedy, who appeared on the 19th season of the US talent show, has pleaded guilty to driving under the influence which led to a crash that killed a man in South Carolina. Caleb, who is now 20 years old, was arrested and charged in February 2022 when he was 17, after he drove into a building in a private drive in Spartanburg, causing the death of a married father. Larry Duane Parris was standing outside his home workshop when Caleb’s Ford pickup hit him. It was reported that the impact pushed him inside the shop, where he was found by his daughter. He later died in hospital.
Caleb pleaded guilty in a hearing on Monday 18 November, according to a local South Carolina news station, WSPA. It was also reported that he was sentenced to 25 years in prison and a $25,100 fine, which was reduced to eight years and a $15,000 fee. Three years of his sentence are set to be served at home, and he will be on probation for five years following his release and will be required to undergo mental health and substance abuse counselling.
During a hearing following Caleb’s arrest, toxicology reports were shared that revealed he had THC, the active compound in marijuana, and prescribed Prozac in his system at the time of the crash.
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Caleb was cut from the final five contestants in the American Idol competition in 2021 after a video emerged of him seemingly sitting next to someone wearing what appeared to be a Klu Klux Klan costume. At the time he released a statement on Instagram that said: “Hey y’all, this is gonna be a bit of a surprise but I am no longer gonna be on American Idol. There was a video that surfaced on the internet and it displayed actions that were not meant to be taken in that way. I was younger and did not think about the actions, but that’s not an excuse. I wanna say sorry to all my fans and everyone who I have let down.”
His mother, Anita Guy, told the Herald Journal that the video had been taken when Caleb was 12 years old, four years before he appeared on American Idol. She said: "This video was taken after Caleb had watched the movie The Strangers: Prey at Night and they were imitating those characters. It had nothing to do with the Ku Klux Klan, but I know that's how it looks. Caleb doesn't have a racist bone in his body. He loves everyone and has friends of all races.”
