A South Whitley man was sentenced Wednesday to four years in a minimum security prison for a drunk driving accident that resulted in the death of his brother and a friend.

James Kline, 26, was driving on CR 350W, one-quarter mile south of U.S. 30, when the car left the road, striking a tree early the morning of Dec. 31, 1994. Kevin Kline, 22, and Christopher Jackson, 21, Sidney, were killed in the accident. James Kline sustained critical injuries in the crash.

Originally, Kline was charged with two counts of driving while intoxicated and causing a death, both Class C felonies. As part of a plea agreement, the second charge was dropped.

Kosciusko County Prosecutor David Kolbe asked Superior Court Judge Robert Burner to give the defendant the full four years agreed to in the plea agreement. Kolbe said he recognized that James Kline did not set out on the night of his brother's death to hurt anyone.

"We are not here to suggest that James Kline fits into the same category as a serial killer," said Kolbe. "But surely, with his record, he should have known the consequences of his actions."

Kolbe said that Kline scored 32 on a risk assessment scale for parole, with a score of 20 being high. He encouraged the court to keep in mind that Kline was on probation four other times.

Kline expressed regret for the deaths of his brother and Jackson. "I hope that some day I could do something to stop others from doing what happened here," he said.

Burner instructed Kline after he was sentenced: "It is not just you that suffers when you do these things," he said. "It is those around you who suffer, too."

Burner shared with Kline his experience as a judge dealing with alcoholism and drug addiction, telling him that the success of of rehabilitation programs depend on one thing. "Until you make a committment to yourself that you want off the alcohol you won't succeed," concluded Burner. [[In-content Ad]]