Church attendance is part of probation for teen convicted of manslaughter in DUI crash


November 15, 2012 at 5:15p.m.

Church attendance is part of probation for teen convicted of manslaughter in DUI crash

MUSKOGEE, Okla. (AP) — A 17-year-old from Muskogee has been sentenced to attend church for 10 years as part of his probation for a manslaughter conviction.

Tyler Alred was sentenced Tuesday in Muskogee County District Court after pleading guilty in August to first-degree manslaughter in the December 2011 auto accident that killed 16-year-old John Luke Dum.

Alred cried while apologizing to Dum’s family in court and hugged Dum’s father as both began to sob.

Authorities say Alred registered 0.06 and 0.07 blood-alcohol content after the crash. The legal limit is 0.08 — but Alred’s amount is considered under state law to be driving under the influence of alcohol because he’s underage.

Defense attorney Donn Baker said the church requirement is unusual — but he won’t challenge it and that Alred currently attends church regularly.