"Prison Break" actor sentenced for fatal drunken-driving crash
2/11/2007 16:45
An actor of TV series "Prison Break" was sentenced in Los Angeles
Wednesday to three years and four months in prison for a drunken-driving crash
that killed a 17-year-old student last December.
Lane Garrison pleaded guilty
in May to vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence and driving under the
influence causing injury. He has been jailed since he was ordered three months
later to undergo a psychological evaluation by California state prison
officials.
The 27-year-old actor also pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count
of providing alcohol to a minor and admitted an allegation of having a higher
blood-alcohol level. Police said Garrison had a blood-alcohol content of .20 --
more than twice the legal limit -- and was under the influence of cocaine at the
time of the crash.
Beverly Hills Superior Court Judge Elden Fox could have
sentenced Garrison to as much as six years and eight months in prison.
The
charges stemmed from the death of a 17-year-old Beverly Hills High School
student, who was a passenger in the 2001 Land Rover Garrison was driving when it
struck a tree in Beverly Hills last December.
A group of parents, teachers,
students and area residents gathered petitions with more than 3,600 signatures
calling on the judge to impose the maximum state prison term.
Garrison
apologized to the victim's family at his last court appearance in August.
In
a recently filmed public service announcement, a teary-eyed Garrison said his
life "changed forever" on the day of the crash and implored viewers not to drink
and drive.
On Fox TV's popular drama series "Prison Break," Garrison played
the character Tweener, who was killed off in an October 2006 episode. He was
also part of the Paramount film "Shooter," which was released earlier this year.
31/10/2007 19:00 GMT
Xinhua
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