A federal judge sentenced the driver who caused a bike crash last year on Natchez Trace Parkway to 10 months in prison.

U.S. District Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw Jr. accepted a plea agreement from Marshall Grant Neely III in May. Neely pleaded guilty to all three counts: reckless aggravated assault, lying to a federal agent and obstruction of justice.

He also accepted a 10-month prison sentence, which will be followed by three years of supervised release. Neely also has to pay $2,260 in restitution to the cyclist he hit as well as a $10,000 fine.

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Neely will have to turn himself in to a federal prison in New York at 2 p.m. Sept. 20. Crenshaw sentenced Neely to a prison where he would be near immediate family and friends.

Neely hit cyclist Tyler Noe on Natchez Trace Parkway on July 8, 2017, and drove away.

The video of the crash went viral later in the day after Noe's riding partner Greg Goodman uploaded footage to social media. Officers arrested Neely at his home.

When law enforcement officers arrived, his Volvo was parked in the grass behind the garage. Identifying stickers on the car had been removed.

Previously, Neely had been battling his alcohol addiction. In 2017, he went to a rehabilitation program, and he re-enrolled after breaking his terms of release when he admitted he began drinking again.

"That is nothing the court condones, and it puts it into perspective," Crenshaw said. "Your actions reflect a series of bad decisions. It's troubling you tried to cover it up, and troubling your son brought it to light. Given the embarrassment there, I don't think you're a danger to the public, but I am sentencing you to 10 months in prison."

What happened in court

Attorney Jodie Bell patted Neely's shoulder before he started speaking to the judge.

"I've lost almost everything," Neely said. "I am sorry with all that transpired. I can and will do better moving forward."

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Neely's defense team argued that he faced a steep punishment in the last year, when the case received national attention. They added that Neely faced a civil lawsuit that could "ruin him financially."

Noe filed suit May 16 in Williamson County Circuit Court for compensatory and punitive damages against Neely. Noe is seeking no more than $850,000 in compensatory damages and no more than $1.6 million in punitive damages.

Letters of support

Before the sentencing, Crenshaw received letters of support from those who have known Neely for decades.

They asked for a lighter sentence for Neely, noting they had seen how the toll of the crash affected him.

"I have spoken with Marshall and am witness to the emotional devastation as a result of his actions last year," 30-year friend Ben Devine wrote. "The consequences of that fateful day will justifiably continue to trail him. Marshall has always maintained a strong religious faith. I believe that his faith coupled with treatment at an appropriate community-based facility will best serve him and the entire community. I have no doubt that the remainder of Marshall's life will be characterized by good works for his community."

University School of Nashville administrator Juliet Douglas also wrote to describe Neely's character. Douglas wrote that Neely was "compassionate and thoughtful" while working with students.

Neely started working at the school in 1995 and served as the dean of students before moving to a part-time role this summer. He also is a parent of two alumni. Neely lost his job at the school after the cycling crash.

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"I know he is working hard to address through counseling and rehab the alcoholism that has undone him and lost him his family," she wrote. "I just wanted you to know the core of Marshall Neely who was an essential piece to USN."

Reach Emily West at erwest@tennessean.com or 615-613-1380 and on Twitter at @emwest22.