KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A Blount County man who struck and killed a pedestrian on Kingston Pike in August 2023 will spend eight years in prison.
Shannon Walker, 45, pleaded guilty Tuesday morning in Knox County Criminal Court to vehicular homicide by intoxication and several counts of reckless endangerment. The plea was reached by agreement between Knox County District Attorney General Charme Allen's office and the defense.
Plea terms call for Walker to spend eight full years in prison, minus any credit for reductions such as time served or state corrections adjustments, to be followed by eight years on probation, according to Allen.
While he's in prison, his license is revoked, according to Allen. Once he gets out, he won't be allowed to drive during the eight-year term, according to Allen.
Walker also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to sell fentanyl, with that term to be served concurrent to the vehicular homicide term.
Walker hit and killed Ben Kredich, 24, as Kredich walked down Kingston Pike near the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church to meet his dad, Matt, for dinner at a Cumberland Avenue restaurant.
Driving a van, Walker crossed from eastbound to westbound lanes of traffic and then onto the sidewalk, striking Kredich and killing him immediately.
Authorities say Walker was high at the time.
Before the crash, Walker was found to have overdosed at a West Knoxville address. He was given Narcan and then taken to Parkwest Medical Center. But Walker declined to stay.
He caught a ride from the hospital with his brother, authorities allege, and then got back into his van and drove.
Kredich's parents say he made a deadly decision.
Ben Kredich's mother, Kim, read a statement Tuesday morning at the plea hearing.
The Krediches are now suing Walker and others over their son's death.
Besides Walker, they name Knox County's emergency dispatch system, the ambulance service, the hospital and the driver's brother as defendants.
Matt and Kim Kredich seek $5 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages in the Knox County Circuit Court action.