Caleb Kennedy: Former American Idol singer arrested and charged with felony DUI after fatal crash

Kennedy allegedly hit a man with his pick-up truck who was inside a building

Caleb Kennedy on ‘American Idol' (ABC)

Former American Idol contestant Caleb Kennedy has reportedly been arrested and charged with a felony DUI following a deadly car collision.

It is alleged that Kennedy, 17, hit a man inside a building while driving his Ford pick-up truck.

South Carolina Highway Patrol released a statement saying (per Billboard) that the victim sustained a fatal injury after the truck was driven onto a private driveway into the building.

WYFT has also reported that the victim was Larry Duane Parris, a 54-year-old man, who was pronounced dead at a local hospital within hours of the accident.

Kennedy was charged with a felony DUI resulting in death, and was expected to attend a court hearing on Wednesday (9 February) morning, according to the outlet.

A spokesperson for the Highway Patrol told Billboard that the incident was still under investigation, so no further information would be released at this time.

The Independent has contacted Caleb’s representative for comment.

Kennedy is known for his appearance on season 19 of American Idol, which aired in the US last year.

He made it through to the top five contestants, but left the series amid controversy after a video went viral showing the singer sitting next to a friend who was dressed in what many took to be a Ku Klux Klan hood.

Kennedy tweeted an apology at the time, telling fans: “There was a video that surfaced on the internet and it displayed actions that were not meant to be taken in that way. I was younger and did not think about the actions, but that’s not an excuse. I wanna say sorry to all my fans and everyone who I have let down.”