Patrick Ballard Pleads Guilty To Manslaughter

BREAKING NEWS

The man who hit and killed two Baldwin County bicyclists on Labor Day in 2007 has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.

Patrick Ballard was originally charged with murder for the deaths of Archie Clemons and Bill Imle. Prosecutors say Ballard was drunk at the time of the accident on Bromley Road near Stapleton.

Ballard was scheduled to go to trial February second, but he pleaded guilty to manslaughter on Thursday afternoon. As part of the plea deal, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison on both counts. The judge ruled Ballard will serve the sentences consecutively. He faces up to 40 years in jail.

Don't miss out on breaking news when you're at work or on the go. Sign up for News 5 Text Alerts that can be sent to your cell phone or PDA. News 5 can also send you breaking news alerts to your e-mail.