Police found Columbia man sleeping behind the wheel, now he may face life in prison, prosecutor says

A Columbia man with a criminal history could face life in prison after he pleaded guilty to gun and drug charges in federal court, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

Because Corey F. Kitt has prior convictions in South Carolina, he could be sentenced to life in prison for his most recent offense, which was discovered after law enforcement found him asleep at the wheel of a running vehicle, U.S. Attorney Sherri A. Lydon said in a news release Monday.

Prior to this, The State reported that the 38-year-old Kitt has several driving-related convictions, including reckless driving, driving without a license and driving under suspension, in addition to domestic violence, shoplifting and drug possession convictions, according to a State Law Enforcement Division background check.

In the federal court case, Kitt was arrested Dec. 4, 2017, when Richland County sheriff’s deputies found him “sleeping behind the wheel of a truck while it was running and in drive on the road,” according to Lydon’s office.

Sheriff’s deputies reported that Kitt did not have a driver’s license on him, before determining it was under suspension, the U.S. attorney’s office reported.

A passenger who also was sleeping in the truck told deputies there was “possibly a shotgun in the back of the truck,” Lydon’s office said. After searching the truck, deputies found a 12-gauge shotgun and Glock handgun, both loaded.

According to Lydon’s office, Kitt’s DNA was determined to be on the handgun, which he admitted was in his possession.

Kitt also told deputies that the “methamphetamine and heroin” they found inside the truck were his possessions, the U.S. attorney said.

While appearing in federal court, Kitt pleaded guilty “to knowingly using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime,” Lydon’s office reported. Because of his previous convictions, Kitt is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

Kitt faces a mandatory five-year prison sentence and a maximum of life behind bars, as well as “a fine of $250,000, and 5 years of supervised release,” according to Lydon’s office.

Kitt is still facing charges in a Richland County court for another incident.

In June 2016, The State reported that Kitt was arrested and charged with hit-and-run, being a habitual traffic offender and driving under suspension after killing his 3-year-old nephew — Kevin “KJ” Kitt. He ran over his nephew at the boy’s home on Davis Road in Hopkins, then left the scene.

Those charges are still pending, according to the Richland County Clerk of Court.

This story was originally published July 31, 2018 at 1:10 PM.