Ex-American Idol contestant Caleb Kennedy arrested after ‘smashing car into building and killing person inside’

Dan Roberts

Published: 1:23, 9 Feb 2022
Updated: 9:56, 9 Feb 2022

FORMER American Idol contestant Caleb Kennedy has been arrested after allegedly smashing a car into a building - killing a person inside.

He was arrested for DUI arrest in Spartanburg, South Carolina, according to authorities.

Caleb Kennedy was arrested for allegedly killing someone in a fatal DUI crashCredit: Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office

The country singer was on the 2020 season of American IdolCredit: Getty Images

Police respond to the tragic scene following the crash

South Carolina highway patrol told The Sun on Tuesday: "On February 8, a 2011 Ford pickup was traveling North when it went into a private road and struck a building.

"A person inside of the building sustained a fatal injury as a result of the collision.

"The driver of the pickup has been charged with felony driving under the influence resulting in death."

The news comes a year after:

Caleb spoke out after he was fired over shock vid last year
Luke Bryan says weeks are ‘challenging & upsetting’ after Caleb's exit
American Idol fans slam Caleb's video 'excuse'
Viewers accuse Ryan Seacrest of ‘dodging’ Caleb scandal

According to law enforcement, the driver was identified as Caleb Kennedy, the Idol alum originally from South Carolina.

"This investigation is still currently ongoing," police added.

Although Caleb is 17, he will reportedly be tried as an adult.

In a mugshot, the singer looked disheveled with an apparent droopy eye and messy hair.

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Caleb was a contestant of the hit singing show in 2020, but was dismissed mid-season after a video emerged of him posing with a friend in a Ku Klux Klan-style white hood.

While his mother Anita Guy explained the footage was from when her son was 12-years-old, the singer told his social media followers that the video "displayed actions that were not meant to be taken in that way."

The former fan favorite later admitted he was unprepared for life in the limelight.

On appearing on American Idol, he told : "You think it's all going to be fun, and a lot of it is, but it will slap you in the face really quickly. I wasn't ready for it."

Caleb added: "There's no way to emotionally prepare for Idol. Because no one is ready for it, no matter how you prepare.

"But I don't regret it, and I did love it."

The teen went on to say how he'd been changed by the experience.

"On Idol, that wasn't me," he revealed. "That world is so different.

"Now that I'm home, I try to be me, but I'm also scared of someone videoing me when I go to Academy or Wal-Mart."

FINAL FIVE

Caleb was down to the final five in the popular show, hosted by Ryan Seacrest, before his sudden exit.

He wrote in a lengthy apology on Instagram: “Hey y’all, this is gonna be a bit of a surprise, but I am no longer gonna be on American Idol.

“There was a video that surfaced on the internet and it displayed actions that were not meant to be taken in that way.”

He continued: “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.

“I’ll be taking a little time off social media to better myself, but saying that, I know this has hurt and disappointed a lot of people and made people lose respect for me.