AceShowbiz - Country singer Caleb Kennedy, 20, pleaded guilty on Monday to a charge of felony driving under the influence where death results, according to the 7th Circuit Solicitor's office in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.

Kennedy's plea came before the case went to trial. He was initially sentenced to 25 years in prison and a $25,100 fine, but the sentence was reduced to eight years in prison and a $15,100 fine. Kennedy will also face five years of probation, random drug testing, and mental health counseling.

Warrants stated that Kennedy was under the influence of marijuana from a vape pen when he drove into a garage and struck 54-year-old Larry Duane Parris on February 8, 2022. Parris was pronounced dead three hours later.

Kennedy's attorney, Ryan Beasley, said his client had no prior record and was a minor at the time of the incident. He claimed that the crash was caused by a "weird reaction" to prescription medicine and possibly THC.

Beasley also expressed remorse for the Parris family and said Kennedy hoped to heal and regain their trust. Parris was a well-respected member of the community and the founder of a construction company.

Kennedy rose to fame in 2021 on season 19 of "American Idol", where he made it to the Top 5. However, he was later removed from the show after a controversial video surfaced of him wearing a hood similar to a Ku Klux Klan robe.

Kennedy apologized for the video, saying he was not promoting racial hatred and that the actions were not meant to be disrespectful.

According to The Greenville News, three years of Kennedy's prison sentence will be served on home detention, and he will receive credit for the nearly three years he has already served. This means he will likely spend about a year behind bars.