TERRE HAUTE, Ind (WTHI) - Nathan Derickson was formally charged in connection with the death of his friend.
Last week 17-year-old Garrett Sands died after he was accidentally shot by Nathan Derickson. Derickson found himself in court Wednesday morning.
The hearing was brief, as Wednesday prosecutor's merely formalized charges against Derickson. The 19-year-old now faces a level 5 felony count of reckless homicide. The judge says Derickson could be sentenced to 1 to 6 years in prison.
As we reported last week, the shooting incident happened when Sands, Derickson and some friends were having a party at the home of Derickson's parents who were out of town on vacation. Police believe Derickson was playing with a gun he thought was unloaded and it went off striking Sands in the head.
At first, Derickson told police Sands shot himself but he changed his story after police confronted him with new information they got from other witnesses.
Derickson is set for trial on October 9th. He's back in court September 17th.
