“He has admitted he has a problem with alcohol and he is getting treatment for that,” she said.

The toxicology screens showed no alcohol in Blaylock's system at the time of the crash, Palmer said. The reckless driving, vehicular homicide charges arose because doctors had told him not to drive because he was prone to seizures attributed to alcoholism, she said. He had been arrested for DUI a month before the crash and he had "several past DUI convictions," Palmer said.

Blaylock was seriously injured in the wreck and temporarily on life support, but he was released from the hospital days later. After the accident, his lawyers blamed the collision on a blackout caused by a medical condition.. A family member told police Blaylock was under treatment for seizures.

Blaylock has been in treatment at Potter’s House in Jefferson, a long-term residential program for treatment of addiction run by Atlanta Mission. He apologized to Frank Murphy, the husband of the 40-year-old victim, in court before being taken into custody.

“He said something to the effect that the accident had changed him, and I think he was referring to his drinking,” Palmer said. “Mr. Murphy spoke and said he understood it was a negotiated sentence….I can’t say he went so far to let say he was OK with it but I guess he let the court know he didn’t oppose it.”

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