CHAMPAIGN — An Armstrong man who drove away from the scene of an accident that injured his friend was sentenced Thursday to six months in the county jail and 30 months of probation.
Casey Knight, 20, had pleaded guilty in January to misdemeanor driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, a felony, in connection with a July 2, 2011, incident in Penfield.
Knight was driving a pickup truck and had a friend in the back bed. Jesse Buckley, 20, of Gifford fell out of the truck and hit his head while they were on County road 2700 E. Knight kept going and was later arrested in Vermilion County for driving under the influence.
Knight's father, Dennis Knight, told Judge John Kennedy that his son was in the grip of the "monster of drugs and alcohol" when the accident happened and has since been getting help and changing his life for the better.
Knight told the judge he was sorry for what he had done and resolved to continue in his recovery.
After being taken into custody to begin his jail sentence, Knight was served with a warrant charging him with aggravated battery in a separate Champaign County case.
He is accused of striking a then 14-month-old child at a home in Urbana on Dec. 11. The baby is the daughter of a woman Knight was dating.
According to an Urbana police report, the mother noticed bruises on the child's thighs and buttocks. The report said Knight admitted to the woman that he had "lost it" with the baby and struck her while he was caring for her.
Knight also has an unresolved theft case in Ford County charging him with the theft of scrap metal.
Because of the injuries to Buckley, Knight is not eligible to earn credit for good behavior on his sentence.
Kennedy also ordered him to pay a $1,000 fine, attend a victim impact panel and get counseling.
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