Final sentencing was held Wednesday afternoon for 21-year old Christopher Swykert in Trigg Circuit Court, where he was granted probation in his reckless homicide case.
Swykert recently entered a guilty plea to reckless homicide, which was amended down from murder, for his role in a fatal crash on The Trace in LBL in June of 2020, and defense attorney Bill Deatherage requested the five year sentence be probated, calling the wreck a tragic accident that affected many people. Swykert himself told the court he experiences guilt and remorse every day, remembering his friend who died, and he knows he’ll live with it the rest of his life.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Carrie Ovey-Wiggins objected to probation, but she did say that the victim’s family in this case has advocated for leniency.
Ultimately, Judge C.A. Woody Woodall granted probation, with the stipulation that Swykert must go to at least two schools, or similar facilities, and talk to youth about the dangers of drinking and driving. He also pled guilty to DUI and tampering with physical evidence.
As previously reported, Swykert was operating a vehicle near the 1.5 mile marker of the Trace in 2020 when he failed to navigate a curve. The car went off the road, struck a tree and overturned onto its side. A passenger, 19-year-old Daniel Kincaid of Houston, Texas, was pronounced dead at the scene.