On January 19th, a 24-year-old Cincinnati man entered a plea of guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter in federal court. The maximum potential penalties are 12 years imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and 3 years supervised probation after release from prison. The man admitted that on August 13, 2004, he caused the deaths of his two passengers by driving his motor vehicle in a grossly negligent manner near Houchins Ferry in Mammoth Cave National Park, where he struck a tree. The accident resulted in his passengers? near instantaneous deaths, one of whose body burned in the fiery wreck. Although the man said that he suffers from amnesia and does not recall the wreck which caused the deaths, he nevertheless told the court that he believed the government could prove that he was driving the car. Kathman also agreed that he was legally drunk at the time. Sentencing is schedule for April 5th.
