Nick Bollea has been jailed for eight months.
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Nick – the son of wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, real name Terry Bollea – received the sentence on Friday (09.05.08) after pleading no contest to causing a crash that almost killed his best friend.
The 17-year-old was taken straight from court to begin his sentence for reckless driving, which will be followed by five years probation and 500 hours community service.
The crash in August last year – which left his friend and passenger, John Graziano, with a broken skull and in need of lifelong medical care – happened after Nick and another friend were racing their cars.
Nick lost control of his vehicle – a sports car belonging to his father – after clipping a kerb and then hit a tree. John wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. Nick’s family supported him during the hearing, but refused to comment afterwards.
The teenager’s lawyers, Kevin Hayslett and Sandy Weinberg Jr., issued a statement saying: “Nick Bollea resolved his criminal charges by pleading no contest to the charge of reckless driving with injury. Nick took responsibility for his actions and was sentenced to county jail.
“During his probation Nick will continue his community service work with the National Wave and Freedom Group where he raises money for the J and J fund to support the recovery efforts of John Graziano as well as John Paul Fillipi who was also injured in a car accident last year.
“As always Nick will continue to focus on his friend John Graziano’s recovery.”
Nick could have been jailed for up to five years. The family of John Graziano were believed to have asked for a sentence of no more than a year.
Nick and the rest of his family, Hulk, sister Brooke and mother Linda, shot to fame together in hit US reality TV show Hogan Knows Best.
