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Nick Hogan Driven to Plea

Nick Hogan

Josh Grossberg, eonline
Fri May 9, 11:57 AM EDT

Nick Hogan may be drifting to jail.

Angst-ridden, but ready to accept his fate, the son of pro-wrestling legend Hulk Hogan pleaded no contest today to a felony charge of reckless driving involving serious bodily injury. The plea, entered in a Pinellas County, Fla., courtroom, stems from an August car crash that left his passenger in critical condition.

The 17-year-old, whose real name is Nick Bollea, faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison and five years' probation for drag-racing under the influence of alcohol and causing the Aug. 26 wreck.

Hogan's passenger, 22-year-old John Graziano, a Marine who had just completed a tour of duty in Iraq, remains comatose. Graziano, who wasn't wearing a seatbelt, may have suffered brain damage caused by swelling of his brain. His family was on hand to ask the judge to come down hard on the younger Hogan.

A sentiment echoed by the prosecutor.

"All of the witnesses I spoke to, each one was very clear that the defendant's driving was reckless," said Assistant State Attorney Scott Rosenwasser. "The speed at which he drove on those wet roads on those wet days was completely unacceptable."

The prosecutor cited several speeding tickets Hogan received in the two years prior to the crash, when he was clocked driving 30-40 miles per hour over the speed limit.

"What I want the defendant to know…is that this was not an accident. For it to be an accident…you have to believe that this was some act of God. But if you look at his driving history and the choices he made on Aug. 27, you can indicate that this was not an accident," said Rosenwasser. "He was the one who made the choice to drive the way he did down the road."

After a stonefaced Hogan watched a video of the aftermath of the crash in the courtroom, John Graziano's father, Ed, made a statement to the court.

"John was everything I hoped and dreamed he could be. He was healthy safe and strong and a hero. A United States Marine and a hero to his county," the elder Graziano said before enumerating all his son's medals. "However, on Aug. 26, 2007 everything changed because of the senseless acts of recklessness by Nick Bollea...Not only did he destroy my son's life but also those that John loved.

"My life consists of 10 hours each day watching my son suffer…Nick's life will go on however it is still unknown whether my son will come home let alone survive. He'll need around the clock nursing care for the rest of his life."

Graziano then called on the judge to bring down the hammer on Hogan

"Nick seems to believe he can get away with anything and it's time for us to put a stop to it. Nick is a repeat offender and every time he gets away with it he becomes emboldened…every time he gets behind the wheel he takes it to the extreme."

That was followed by tearful testimony from other Graziano family members relating the loss they suffered due to Hogan's "irresponsible actions."

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