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Hogan Sentenced to 8 Months in Prison

Reuters
Posted: 2008-05-09 18:49:11
CLEARWATER, Fla. (May 9) - The son of wrestler and reality TV star Hulk Hogan was sentenced to eight months in jail Friday for causing a car crash that seriously injured his passenger.

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Joseph Garnett, Jr., AP

Hogan Car Crash

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Nick Bollea, son of wrestler Hulk Hogan, was sentenced Friday to eight months in prison after pleading no contest to a charge of reckless driving with serious bodily harm. John Graziano suffered severe head injuries and remains in a semiconscious state as a result of Bollea's having crashed into a tree on Aug. 26, 2007.

Nick Bollea, 17, pleaded no contest to a charge of reckless driving with serious bodily harm before he was sentenced by Pinellas County Judge Phillip Federico.

Bollea crashed his car into a tree in Clearwater, Florida, on Aug. 26 last year. Police said he was speeding and racing another car.

Bollea's passenger and friend, John Graziano, 22, suffered severe head injuries and remains in a semiconscious state in a hospital.

"I think there has to be some punishment," Federico said at the hearing. He also sentenced Bollea to five years probation and 500 hours of community service and suspended his driver's license for three years.

Graziano's parents asked that Bollea be sentenced to some jail time. They said their son would need medical care for the rest of his life and are suing Hogan and Bollea for millions of dollars in damages.

Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea, defended his son.

"Nick is a good person. He's kind, gentle and compassionate," he told the judge.

Nick Bollea apologized to Graziano's family and his own. "I pray for John every day. I'm terribly sorry," he said.

Copyright 2008 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2008-05-08 16:06:12
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Recent Comments

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2545 comments

racegal77 08:40:39 PM May 14 2008

my god Nick how could you do this to ur friend

racegal77 08:34:40 PM May 14 2008

hm. why Nick Why would you do that to your kindrearden friend. why..

bunnyliciousx690 03:49:20 PM May 14 2008

i think its al wrong nick is feeling plenty of guilt his friend is in a comma im sure he didnt mean to hurt his friend they was both in that car his friend could have said let me out or else he didnt have to stay and race and im sure it wasnt the first time nick and his friend has did crazy things like this only thing was this time i terriable accendent happen that im sure was not in nicks plans

cerebus33 12:57:04 PM May 14 2008

What an ass. I believe that he got over cause of either a money influence or cause of his dad, but the good thing about it all is finally hulk knows what it is like to be a real american!! The whole catch 22 thing, having your family and career fall apart, and etc.. I can,t wait for the victims family to sue his ass. I also see that in the photo he looks like he could care less about anything, I hope he has that same face when he becomes someones ***** in prison, cause if I was in the court room I would beat the hell out of him.

remark148 07:39:17 PM May 12 2008

I beleve he has recieved a just punishment. The unfortunate accident cannot be undone. Nor can the injuries. The passenger surely knew of lil hulk's intentions of the illegal racing. I will bet that his injured friend was a commonly known to ride shotgun more than just a few times. Now...in that...if his injured had never rode in the car with Nic before....well maybe he did not know what was in store. But being that they were friends... He knew that street racing had it's dangers. So suing beyond medical expenses is a little unfair. Punitive damages must be held to a mimimun.

tshpp8 07:02:03 PM May 12 2008

This is so stupid! He'z friend is 22! He could of said i don't want to race if ur racing im getting out ,or don't race its stupid,but he didn't. They're guys one a teenager and one that still thinks he is. This kind of thing happens everyday. The only reason Nick is being sued is because hez Hulk Hogans son. Nick has already suffered enough hez put hez friend in the hospital in critical condition. Give him the jail time and two hundered hours of service ,but cut the rest it'z stupid! Taking away hez license is the stupidest of it all!!! I can pretty much graunte he wont be reckless driving agin after all this! Hez just a kid thatz learned a hard leason already so just leave him alone already. It was a year ago! This is said and done! OVER!!!!!

comeon08 02:41:03 PM May 12 2008

He knows what he did is wrong and the fact is that kids make stupid mistakes every day. He is paying for what he did, not just in jail time but he also has pretty much lost a really close friend. I feel for him

gusterlvr3 02:31:29 PM May 12 2008

i think he should spend atleast 2 years in jail. what an idiot. speed racing? why don't you get a life and a job and stop living off daddy's money you lazy ass

vallontina 10:43:28 AM May 12 2008

Summer 65656 - 8 months is too harsh??? What about the guy who is in a coma and will probably never be right for the rest (of what's left) of his life? If Nick was speeding and drag racing and HE isn't the one in a coma, then he got off pretty easy with 8 months.

texasangel0673 08:19:45 AM May 12 2008

Probation, His license being revoked, is punishment enough..It's apparent the poor kid is remorseful.It was his best friend.I feel bad for the Graziano kid and all, but Nick did not make him get in the car by force.Im sure they both knew what they were gonna do when they got into it.

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