No bond for former American Idol contestant Caleb Kennedy, charged with felony DUI

A bond hearing for American Idol contestant Caleb Kennedy who is charged in the death of a Pacolet man who was run over by his pickup truck was continued Thursday pending results of a blood test, Circuit Court Judge Edward Miller ruled.

Kennedy, 17, of Roebuck, is being held without bond at Spartanburg County Detention Center on a charge of felony DUI result in death pending his first court appearance April 14 in General Sessions court.

He is accused of running over Larry Parris, 54, a boat repairman, in the driveway at his home near Pacolet Feb. 8. Parris was pronounced dead at Spartanburg Medical Center that afternoon.

The arrest warrant by the S.C. Highway Patrol said Kennedy was under the influence of marijuana at the time of the 12:41 p.m. incident.

Initial bond denied: Warrants allege Caleb Kennedy under the influence of marijuana during fatal crash; bond denied

No bond for Caleb Kennedy, again

A new bond hearing was held Thursday at the request of Kennedy's attorney, Ryan Beasley of Greenville.

Beasley argued for a $20,000 bond, saying it was more of a reckless homicide case rather than a felony DUI resulting in death case. Kennedy has no previous record and poses no threat to the community, he said.

Beasley said Kennedy was recently taking a prescription drug, Prozac, and that the dosage had recently been doubled. He said prosecutors allege he also "took a hit off a vape pen," but there was no evidence of drugs or alcohol at the accident scene.

"He had some bad reaction and got lost on his way to his girlfriend's house and randomly wrecked down this dirt road inside a garage," Beasley said. "When law enforcement got there, Caleb was holding Mr. Parris in his arms, crying. It was a very sad, sad situation. It's a very confusing situation. We're still trying to figure it out."

Seventh Circuit Solicitor Barry Barnett argued that no bond be set. He said he is awaiting results of a blood test that would indicate what was in Kennedy's system that day.

"He's taking Prozac on top of I don't know what medication," Barnette said. "He's definitely under the influence of something. He basically said he had an out-of-body experience.

"I think he's a danger to the community," Barnette added.

Beasley argued that Kennedy should not be penalized without a bond being set while the Solicitor's Office awaits results of a blood test from the State Law Enforcement Division.

"He barely just turned 17," Beasley said. "It's unfair to this kid to be sitting in jail for months with a backlog from SLED. A bond should be set today."

But Judge Miller said the bond hearing should be continued to a future date after the Solicitor's Office receives the blood test results. No date was set.

Tears flow during hearing

During the hearing, Kennedy appeared to hold back tears as the wife and daughter of the victim recounted the incident and pleaded that no bond be set.

The tear-filled 25-year-old daughter said she has had trouble sleeping at night ever since the Feb. 8 incident.

"For two weeks now, I lay down and close my eyes, only to see my daddy laying in his own shop, moaning and groaning and hollering with a stranger -- a stranger that wasn't calling 911 or calling for help, just sitting there with a blank look on his face," she told the judge. "I have to relive that day for the rest of my life."

Controversial social media post: American Idol: Caleb Kennedy leaving show after controversial social media post surfaces

Details of fatal incident

At an initial bond hearing on Feb. 9, Barnett said the incident started Feb. 8 at the Walmart in Roebuck where Kennedy met a friend and "took a deep hit" from a vape pen.

According to Barnette, Kennedy then drove down Southport Road, apparently heading to his girlfriend's house in Union, when he drove about 175 yards down a remote road, West Murph Road, and into the private driveway of Larry Duane Parris, where Parris was talking on a phone.

"(Parris) was in his driveway, at his house, and this man comes down the driveway 175 yards and runs over top of him, for no reason," Barnette said. "(Parris) was on the phone with his best friend talking to him and suddenly the phone goes dead and he gets hit. His best friend called his wife and said something just happened, you need to check on it."

Parris died after being run over by Kennedy's Ford pickup truck, according to Barnette.

Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said the preliminary cause of death for Parris was blunt force trauma to the chest and extremities.

"He hit (him) in the driveway and ran on top (of him) and into the garage," Barnette said. "He was working in front of the garage ... he went underneath the garage door."

Kennedy was charged with felony DUI resulting in death and faces up to 25 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,100 if convicted.

Kennedy received national fame while competing on American Idol and became one of the favorites of the judges. But he left the show just two performances away from finale night after a controversial video surfaced online.

Kimberly Cockrell of Mothers Against Drunk Driving attended Thursday's virtual bond hearing on behalf of the Parris family, but did not speak

Afterward, she said the family is "incredibly grateful" that no bond was set.

"They are relieved that Caleb Kennedy will not have an opportunity to heap the pain and sorrow onto another family that they themselves are forced to suffer due to his choices and actions," Cockrell told the Herald-Journal.

Contact Bob Montgomery at bob.montgomery@shj.com. Please support our coverage of Spartanburg County with a digital subscription. Take advantage of our unbeatable President's Day sale: $22 for 2 years of a digital subscription!

This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Caleb Kennedy update: No bond for ex-Idol contestant charged with DUI