KENAI, Alaska, May 30 (UPI) -- An Alaska crab fisherman who appeared on a reality TV show has admitted killing a snowmachine driver in a drunken driving crash.
Clarence Helgevold Jr. of Soldotna pleaded guilty in Kenai Superior Court Friday to a reduced charge of criminally negligent homicide and driving under the influence for the January death of George Larion, The Peninsula Clarion of Kenai reported.
Originally charged with manslaughter, Helgevold must serve five years in prison. He admitted to an "aggravator," meaning Judge Anna Moran could increase the term at sentencing Aug. 25.
Helgevold must undergo alcohol screenings and enter treatment, and is currently under house arrest with a monitoring device that can detect alcohol use.
Helgevold appeared on a Discovery Channel miniseries called "America's Deadliest Season" as captain of the Arctic Dawn during the 2003-2004 opilio crab season. The program is now called "America's Deadliest Catch."
The Arctic Dawn, a 97-foot steel crabber and tender built caught fire and was heavily damaged last September while moored in Seattle.
