Ex-American Idol finalist Caleb Kennedy has bond set after deadly DUI crash

A judge has agreed to set a bond amount for Caleb Kennedy, a controversial ex-”American Idol” contestant accused of driving into a South Carolina building and fatally striking a man.

The 17-year-old singer was granted $50,000 bail and ordered to observe home detention, according to his lawyer, Ryan Beasley. It marked his fifth attempt to secure Kennedy’s release since he was jailed in February in connection with a deadly DUI crash.

Caleb Kennedy is being tried as an adult.

The incident unfolded late the night of Feb. 8, when Kennedy slammed his 2011 Ford Pickup into a Spartanburg County warehouse. Larry Parris was standing in the driveway, located on his own property, when he was fatally struck. Police said the 54-year-old was run over by Kennedy and then pushed into the building.

According to a toxicology report, the country music crooner was under the influence of cannabis and Prozac at the time of the crash. He confessed at the time to taking a “deep draw” from his vape in the moments before the deadly incident.

“We look forward to proving this was a terrible accident caused by his medication,” Beasley told WYFF. “Our prayers go out to the Parris family.”

This image released by ABC shows Caleb Kennedy performing on the singing competition series "American Idol," in Los Angeles. (Eric McCandless/)

Judges had previously denied bond for Kennedy, citing the pending toxicology results as well as his mental state. The singer has also been ordered to undergo metal health treatment while he is under home detention.

Kennedy is being tried as an adult and, if convicted, faces a sentence of up to 25 years in prison. He appeared on Season 19 of “American Idol” in 2020, advancing all the way to the top five.

The teen was ultimately booted from the competition after a video that showed him next to someone sporting a hood reminiscent of those worn by the Ku Klux Klan surfaced online.

With News Wire Services