VIERA -- A Brevard Circuit judge today sentenced celebrity motorcycle builder Billy Lane to six years in prison and three years probation in connection with the Sept. 4, 2006, crash that left Sebastian Inlet park ranger Gerald Morelock dead.
Lane was immediately handcuffed and escorted from the courtroom.
Judge Robert Burger also ordered Lane's drivers license suspended for life and that he undergo random drug and alcohol testing upon his release from prison.
Lane, 39, faced up to nine years in prison after a judge in June OKd a plea deal in which prosecutors agreed to drop a charge of DUI manslaughter in connection with the Labor Day 2006 crash.
Lane, choking back tears, spoke on his own behalf starting at about 10:30 a.m. He said he takes full responsibility for Morelock's death.
"I was very careless. I was a less-responsible citizen," Lane said. "I'm not looking for pity on myself. I drive by the spot where I killed Jerry Morelock every day. I pray to God for his soul and for his family."
"Whatever you decide today judge . . . I hope you'll look at Mr. Morelock and myself and make a fair decision."
Police said Lanes blood-alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit when he crossed a double-yellow line to speed at 68 mph past three cars on State Road A1A south of Melbourne Beach. He crashed his Dodge pickup head on into 56-year-old Morelocks small Yamaha motorcycle.
Lane's attorney, Greg Eisenmenger, argued for a non-prison sentence, saying making restitution to Morelock's family outweighed the need for jail time.
Morelocks brother and nephew told the judge Gerald Morelock loved kids and would have wanted a positive resolution. They asked Burger to impose a sentence that would require Lane to use his celebrity to help save the lives of young people.
But the judge sided with prosecutor Tom Brown who said a non-prison would have sent the wrong message that fame and money buys freedom.
In arguing for the maximum sentence, Brown pointed out a number of speeding violations and a pattern of bad driving habits on Lanes driving record.
Though there were no DUIs on Lanes record, Brown said his record of speeding showed the 2006 crash was not a one-time event, but showed a pattern that could have and would have and did have deadly consequences.
Definitivo, ya lo resolvieron. Va preso seis años por guiar borracho y matar a un motociclista. Es increíble que un "biker builder" tan famoso como el haya matado a un motociclista con su automovil. Es lamentable que estos accidentes ocurran. Aunque es algo negativa la noticia, quizás sirve como reflexión a los motociclistas que salen a correr motora e ingieren bebidas embriagantes cada vez que se detienen en algún negocio en la ruta. En Motorciclers no hay muchos de esos, pero los hay!!
Billy se "quito" hace rato, este accidente no fue los otros dias... Claro, es una pena que una persona pierda la vida, pero igual de mal es que otra pierda todo... Morelock tampoco era un santo... pero nada.. Billy aprendio su leccion rapidito.. le cambio la perspectiva de la vida.. Y mas aun, el hizo un guilty plead en vez de seguir con el caso..
No es un criminal, es alguien que cometio un error, y lo admite, claro con consecuencias fatales....Pero le querian meter los 20 como fuese...
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