Caleb Kennedy, a former “American Idol” contestant, was sentenced to prison for his role in a fatal crash in February 2022.
The 20-year-old pled guilty to felony DUI resulting in death after driving his Ford F-150 into a home in Pacolet, South Carolina, killing 54-year-old Larry Duane Parris. Kennedy was 17 at the time of the incident and was arrested the same day. Initially sentenced to 25 years in prison and fined $25,100, his sentence was later reduced to eight years and a fine of $15,100. He will also serve five years of probation and attend counseling. Three years of his sentence will be served on home detention, with credit for nearly three years already served.
Kennedy’s attorney, Ryan Beasley, explained that prescription medication and possibly THC contributed to the crash.
“This wasn’t such an egregious act that you see most of the time, where people were drinking and driving, then they hit somebody at night or going the wrong way down the road. This was a weird reaction from his prescription medicine and possibly THC,” Beasley stated.
Beasley also expressed sympathy for the victim’s family, adding, “A very good person (Larry Parris) died, and I feel so bad for the Parris family.”
Kennedy, once a rising star on “American Idol,” had to leave the show after a controversial social media post resurfaced, showing him beside someone wearing a Klan-like hood. Despite his struggles, Kennedy has expressed remorse and acknowledged the pressures of fame.
