Clarence "Ole" Helgevold Jr., of Soldotna,
pleaded guilty Friday in Kenai Superior Court under an agreement that
stipulates he will serve five years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for
Aug. 25. Helgevold, 60, originally had been charged with manslaughter in
January when his car crashed with a snowmobile driven by George Larion. Larion,
47, was thrown from the snowmobile and died at the scene.
Helgevold was captain
of the Arctic Dawn, the vessel featured in a 2004 three-part miniseries
"America's Deadliest Season." The show, effectively a pilot for
"Deadliest Catch," followed Helgevold and his crew during the
2003-2004 opilio crab season, the Peninsula Clarion reported. Investigators
said Larion was driving on a road in the early evening of Jan. 19 when his
snowmobile was struck from behind by Helgevold's car.
A plea agreement
stipulates that Helgevold will serve 4 1/2 years in prison for criminally
negligent homicide and six months for the DUI charge.
