Billy Lane Sentanced to Six Years Harley In The News Discuss Billy Lane Sentanced to Six Years in the Other Topics forums; Billy Lane Sentenced To Six Years In Prison A famous former motorcycle builder from Brevard County headed to prison Friday. Billy Lane was sentenced to six years in prison and ...

[Buzz Kanter]

Billy Lane Sentenced To Six Years In Prison
A famous former motorcycle builder from Brevard County headed to prison Friday. Billy Lane was sentenced to six years in prison and three years probation after causing a crash that killed a fellow biker.

"It's been really, really tough, but it's something I have to live with everyday," Lane said inside the courtroom.

Lane was moved to the Brevard County jail after the sentencing Friday morning to be processed. Then he will be sent to the Department of Corrections Reception Center to assign him to a prison and give him a new job behind bars.

"I drive by the spot where I killed him everyday. My motorcycle, at least for the last 20 months I've had my license back, and I've had to think about what happened and I look up to the sky, pray to God for his soul and for his family," Lane said.

Billy Lane didn't offer any excuses for the drunk-driving crash that killed fellow biker Gerald Morelock on A-1-A in Melbourne Beach on September 4, 2006. He repeatedly took responsibility, telling the court he wasn't seeking pity.

"I made the single most irresponsible decision in my life and it cost another man his life," Lane said.

The 39-year-old Melbourne Beach man gained fame and notoriety for the stylish motorcycles he built and displayed on cable television. His attorney argued, if he was spared prison time, he could use that same notoriety to persuade young people not to drink and drive.

Prosecutors, though, worried allowing someone to walk away from killing someone simply because he was famous would send the wrong message.

"If Mr. Lane stocked shelves at Wal-Mart, I would submit to the court that we wouldn't be arguing that," a prosecutor said.

Lane faced nine years in prison under the plea deal, but the judge decided gave him a break, noting Lane's remorse. Afterward, the victim's brother offered his reaction.

"That's the judge's gig, not mine. You know, the judge asked me and I told him, 'That's your thing, not mine.' I'm not a judge," Gerald Morelock's brother said.

As for how Lane will get treated in prison, corrections officials said he will go into the general population, but still has to be evaluated before determining if he will go to a high-security prison or not.

[HarleyCruiser]

I could do the six years easer than loosing my license for the rest of my life,
hard to think not ever getting on my bike again.
Some people need to learn the hard way, I was lucky, so will withhold judgment.

[brown]

Originally Posted by HarleyCruiser

I could do the six years easer than loosing my license for the rest of my life,
hard to think not ever getting on my bike again.
Some people need to learn the hard way, I was lucky, so will withhold judgment.

I've been riding over 40 years and am on my 25th motorcycle. I would easily give up riding before spending 6 years in jail.

[unclepsycho]

A drivers license is a privilage granted by each individual state. When I lost my license in one state for 10 years, I simply moved to another state and got a license there. I then had to ride the bus or hitch a ride when ever I wanted to visit that first state for the next 10 years, but the move was worth it. For me. But I did not kill anyone to lose my license... .I just wrecked a car and refused to pay the insurance company for the damages they sued me for. Longer story behind that.....

[Gas Man]

They thru the book at him to make an example of him. He'll appeal and should. That is crazy and way harder than what most would get.

[unclepsycho]

As with anyone that lives thru an wreck that kills someone, he will have to live with that for the rest of his life. That is a sentance I would not want. If he has a concience he will be paying for this mistake forever. No amount of jail will change that. We still as a society cannot let people go free when they do something like this.
I called this a wreck and not an accident. An accident is an event that cannot be avoided. This could have been avoided.

[texan321]

he absolutely got what he deserved - kliing another person because he was drunk can be avoided - 2nd time he had had an accident while driving drunk - I will be glad to send him photos each week of the guy he killed.