The arrest warrant for former “American Idol” contestant Caleb Kennedy is revealing new information about what happened Tuesday before the deadly crash in which he is charged in. Kennedy, 17, from Roebuck, was in court Wednesday to face the DUI involving death charge. Kennedy is accused of hitting 54-year-old Larry Duane Parris with his truck and running over him while Parris was standing in his driveway.The South Carolina Highway Patrol said Kennedy’s 2011 Ford pickup was traveling north on West Murph Road when it drove onto a private driveway and hit a building. Parris’ family said he was about to go work on a boat in the building when he was hit. Parris died at the hospital. Solicitor Barry Barnette said in court that Kennedy told law enforcement that he met a friend and took a hit from a vape device. An arrest warrant says marijuana was involved in the crash. The warrant is the first indication that marijuana is part of the prosecution’s felony charge, which carries a sentence of up to 25 years in prison.The warrant states that Kennedy was “driving a vehicle in the state of South Carolina on a private property under the influence of drugs (Marijuana) as a result he struck the building with a victim inside and hit (him) causing death.”Kennedy is being charged as an adult and remains in jail after a judge denied any bond for now. Kennedy’s attorney spoke to WYFF News 4 after the court hearing on Wednesday. “There are much more egregious cases pending in this county that the solicitor’s office is very aware of, that have gotten bonds,” said Ryan Beasley, defense attorney, “And, I just felt like it was ridiculous for him not to get a bond.”Beasley said he believes that something caused a reaction with prescription medication that Kennedy was taking.Kennedy advanced into the Top 5 of the ABC talent show last year but dropped out after a video circulated of him sitting next to someone wearing what appeared to be a Ku Klux Klan hood.Kennedy apologized at the time for the video, saying on social media that “it displayed actions that were not meant to be taken in that way.”The Associated Press contributed to this report.
SPARTANBURG, S.C. —
The arrest warrant for former “American Idol” contestant Caleb Kennedy is revealing new information about what happened Tuesday before the deadly crash in which he is charged in.
Kennedy, 17, from Roebuck, was in court Wednesday to face the DUI involving death charge.
Kennedy is accused of hitting 54-year-old Larry Duane Parris with his truck and running over him while Parris was standing in his driveway.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol said Kennedy’s 2011 Ford pickup was traveling north on West Murph Road when it drove onto a private driveway and hit a building.
Parris’ family said he was about to go work on a boat in the building when he was hit.
Parris died at the hospital.
Solicitor Barry Barnette said in court that Kennedy told law enforcement that he met a friend and took a hit from a vape device.
An arrest warrant says marijuana was involved in the crash.
The warrant is the first indication that marijuana is part of the prosecution’s felony charge, which carries a sentence of up to 25 years in prison.
The warrant states that Kennedy was “driving a vehicle in the state of South Carolina on a private property under the influence of drugs (Marijuana) as a result he struck the building with a victim inside and hit (him) causing death.”
Kennedy is being charged as an adult and remains in jail after a judge denied any bond for now.
Kennedy’s attorney spoke to WYFF News 4 after the court hearing on Wednesday.
“There are much more egregious cases pending in this county that the solicitor’s office is very aware of, that have gotten bonds,” said Ryan Beasley, defense attorney, “And, I just felt like it was ridiculous for him not to get a bond.”
Beasley said he believes that something caused a reaction with prescription medication that Kennedy was taking.
Kennedy advanced into the Top 5 of the ABC talent show last year but dropped out after a video circulated of him sitting next to someone wearing what appeared to be a Ku Klux Klan hood.
Kennedy apologized at the time for the video, saying on social media that “it displayed actions that were not meant to be taken in that way.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.