"American Idol" Alum Caleb Kennedy Charged In Fatal DUI Crash: Report

BY Erika Marie 1.6K Views
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Jail, Caleb Kennedy
Kennedy, 17, was allegedly behind the wheel when his vehicle crashed into a building that housed 54-year-old Larry Duane.

Tragic news is once again being shared about an American Idol alum. The longstanding singing competition series has seen its fair share of scandals over the years, but this time reports have surfaced that 17-year-old Caleb Kennedy was involved in a car accident that took the life of a man in South Carolina. Kennedy competed on American Idol in 2021 and managed to climb his way to the Top 5, but since that time, he has struggled after being kicked off of the show.

Last year, Kennedy was entangled in controversy after a video surfaced of him with another person who was wearing a hood similar to that of the Ku Klux Klan.


In more recent news, Kennedy has reportedly been "charged with felony driving under the influence resulting in death," reports PEOPLE. Larry Duane, 54, has been identified as the man who was the victim in this tragedy. He was taken to a hospital and reportedly pronounced dead hours later.

"A 2011 Ford pickup was traveling north on W. Murph Road when the vehicle traveled onto a private drive at 269 W. Murph Road and struck a building," an officer told PEOPLE. "A person inside the building sustained fatal injury as a result of the collision."

"The driver is identified as Caleb Andrew Kennedy, 17-year-old male from Roebuck, South Carolina," they added. "This crash remains under investigation by the South Carolina Highway Patrol. There will be no further updates at this time."

It is unclear what punished the teen is looking at if convicted.


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About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.