'Enjoy prison life': Retiree paralyzed in catastrophic crash sends off man who tried to burn down his father's house while out on bond

An Illinois antheral who was already facing charges implicit a devastating car crash was convicted of arson successful a abstracted case, committed portion helium was retired connected bond.

Connor C. Kirkpatrick, 30, was sentenced to 10 years successful prison for residential arson connected Thursday, according to the McHenry County State's Attorney's Office.

Kirkpatrick tried to pain down his father's location connected May 20, 2023, and admitted to starting the occurrence himself aft initially telling sheriff's deputies that helium "woke up to a occurrence successful the home." No 1 other was successful the location astatine the clip and nary 1 was injured.

A assemblage recovered Kirkpatrick blameworthy successful March.

Present for his sentencing hearing was idiosyncratic connected to a antithetic lawsuit involving the suspect – and helium was not determination to privation him well.

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Kirkpatrick committed the arson portion helium was retired connected enslaved for aggravated reckless driving causing bodily harm and different charges stemming from a car crash astir a twelvemonth earlier.

According to prosecutors, connected July 27, 2022, Kirkpatrick was down the instrumentality of a Subaru SUV erstwhile helium floored the state pedal, reaching a velocity of 100 mph successful a residential neighborhood.

Prosecutors said Kirkpatrick was "naked and suicidal" astatine the time, according to sum of the lawsuit by Shaw Local. The SUV yet crashed into the location of 67-year-old Angelo Pleotis, a retired gramps who had just agreed to locomotion his girl down the aisle astatine her wedding. Pleotis was conscionable getting retired of the ablution erstwhile Kirkpatrick's conveyance slammed into him, sending him done the bath partition of his home.

Pleotis was paralyzed from the waist down, his spine broken. He was incapable to be his daughter's wedding.

Kirkpatrick was besides earnestly injured successful the crash. He surrendered to constabulary that October.

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At his arson trial, Kirkpatrick testified that helium acceptable his father's location connected occurrence the pursuing May due to the fact that helium was, erstwhile again, trying to extremity his life. His defence attorneys highlighted a past of untreated intelligence unwellness during trial. Prosecutors attempted to usage the car clang lawsuit to propulsion for a harsher condemnation for Kirkpatrick, saying that portion helium could beryllium considered mentally ill, helium needed to beryllium incarcerated for "the information of the public."

Ultimately, Judge Tiffany Davis decided connected the mediate crushed of 10 years – much than the 4 years requested by the defense, little than the 15 years requested by the prosecution. Kirkpatrick volition get recognition for clip served.

In statement with Pleotis and his family, the charges successful the car clang lawsuit were dropped; if convicted, Kirkpatrick would person served those sentences concurrently.

Pleotis and his household were contiguous astatine the sentencing. The paralyzed retiree addressed the convicted antheral from his motorized wheelchair. He said: "Enjoy situation life. I'm definite you'll conscionable immoderate bully friends there."