Agony of CNN's new star anchor as mother is jailed for a year for 'nearly killing' a man in DUI crash just weeks before her prime-time debut



The mother of CNN's new morning star Kate Bolduan has today been sentenced to a year in jail for 'nearly killing a man' after crashing into him while drunk driving.



Nadine Bolduan, 60, of Goshen, Indiana, cried as she was told she would spend up to 12 months behind bars following the crash in May, according to KPC News .



Her daughter, 29, a Washington reporter for CNN, was recently announced for the prestigious spot opposite Chris Cuomo on the network's new flagship morning show which will begin in June.



She wasn't in court to hear her mother's sentencing.



Sentenced: Nadine Bolduan, left, mother of CNN anchor Kate Bolduan, right, will serve a year in jail for operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury

New star: Kate Bolduan was named as CNN's new morning anchor on March 28 and now faces starting the job in June while he mother is in jail



Nadine Bolduan was sent immediately to jail by Circuit Judge G. David Laur.

She was comforted by her husband Dr Jeffrey Bolduan, a medical doctor in Liognier, who testified on his wife's behalf after she pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury.



'It’s been 11 months of hell,' he said.



Mrs Bolduan, a former nurse, who has three other daughters as well as Kate, asked for the victim Paul Fought's forgiveness.

He suffered a concussion, three brain-bleeds and broken bones in his arm and legs in the collision.



'I know how much pain Mr. Fought was in. I’m sorry and I beg your forgiveness. I don’t expect to receive forgiveness,' she said in court.



Mr Fought, 59, of Liognier, also testified and explained how he had lost his job and suffers constant pain following the accident.



'I almost died that day. I lost my job after 26 years. I am in constant pain. Nadine, I do forgive you. We did pray for you, Nadine. We continue to do so,' he said.



Bolduan's sentence was limited to two years incarceration and the judge said she would spend a maximum of one year in jail and the rest on probation.

Family grief: Dr Jeffrey Bolduan, photographed with three of his daughters including Kate, testified at his wife's sentencing today saying, 'it's been 11 months of hell'



Victim: Paul Fought told Mail Online he forgives Nadine Bolduan but added that he thought the sentence was appropriate given his injuries



She will also lose her driver's license for five years on being released from jail Circuit Judge G. David Laur said: 'The root cause of this bad decision is alcohol consumption.'

The crash took place just outside Goshen, Indiana, on May 31 around 2pm.

Bolduan's Chevrolet Avalanche collided nearly head-on with a Buick LaSabre driven by Mr Fought who was on his way home from work.



Her blood-alcohol level was over the legal limit at 0.17 per cent, according Noble County Sheriff’s Deputy Brian Walker. It was previously said to be 0.19 per cent in local reports.



Speaking after the case today Mr Fought told Mail Online he believed justice had been served.



'I do think it was the right sentence. She will have her license suspended for five years after she gets out of jail and will undergo a substance abuse program which was my concern - that she got help,' he said.

Rising star: Kate Bolduan, pictured with her husband, wasn't in court to hear the sentencing today



'I had the opportunity to speak today and talked about the suffering I went through and ended on the fact that I forgive Nadine. God through Jesus Christ forgives me so that was the least I could do for her, but there are consequences and she faced the consequences today. '



'My recovery is not as fast as I'd like it to be and I'm sore quite a bit, but I'm upright and able to walk,' he added.



There was no response at the Bolduan family home or Kate Bolduan's current address.



The new CNN morning show is expected to begin in June.



Kate Bolduan was a surprise choice for co-anchor securing the role over much bigger names in TV.



However, the 29-year-old has been working her way up through the ranks and won over new CNN chief, Jeffrey Zucker, to be named the youngest morning anchor.



The sentencing comes nearly 20 years after Mrs Bolduan was also charged with reckless homicide after her jet ski struck two children, killing a nine-year-old girl and injuring a 10-year-old in 1995.



Elizabeth Leman, 9, was killed and Christa Konarski, 10, was injured as the Bolduans raced their jet skis between two boats, hitting inner-tubes the girls were riding, according to a Kokomo Tribune report.



But the charges were dismissed as the court's prosecutor said he believed the actions were negligent, but did not constitute recklessness, Goshen News reported.



The case moved to the civil courts in Elkhart County, where Nadine and her husband Jeffrey Bolduan were ordered to pay the Konarski family more than $1 million.



