John Ludwig goes to prison

By Cindy Landrum  

JANUARY 19, 2012 2:09 p.m. (2)

John Ludwig avoided jail time when he plowed his Maserati through a house, killing the homeowner watching television on his couch. But a November argument with his wife is sending him to prison.

Circuit Judge C. Victor Pyle revoked Ludwig’s probation and sentenced him to three years in prison.

“It appears to me you have a very serious problem with anger,” Pyle told Ludwig before the sentence.

Ludwig’s attorney, Kim Varner, argued that the November argument was not violent and Ludwig did not violate his probation. He said he would look into appealing the sentence.

“You have to consider the whole person,” Varner said. “Does he have issues? Yes and he’s trying to deal with those but he is a very kind and loving person.”

In the November incident, Ludwig is accused of slapping or touching his wife in the back of the head during an argument over writing a check to pay the mortgage, according to a warrant and a police report.

Ludwig’s father-in-law, who lives in North Carolina, called police and told them his daughter was being assaulted.

Ludwig’s wife, Shannon, later said her husband touched the back of her head and that the incident was blown out of proportion.

The probationary sentence on the reckless homicide guilty plea shocked then-13th Circuit Solicitor Bob Ariail, outraged the community and had some in the community talking about a two-tiered justice system.

Ludwig also received probation after pleading guilty to assault of a high and aggravated nature in connection with a July 2008 case where Ludwig kicked in the door of the home of a man who was involved with his then-estranged first wife.

In a deal reached before the reckless homicide sentencing, Ariail agreed he would not seek a greater sentence on that charge than what Ludwig received for reckless homicide.

Ludwig was also found guilty of criminal domestic violence first offense for hitting his then-estranged wife in February 2009, two months before the fatal wreck. His jail sentence was suspended and Ludwig paid a $1,000 fine.

Ludwig still faces a third-degree assault and battery charge in connection with a confrontation in downtown Greenville in which he is accused of spitting in a man’s face. Ludwig asked for a jury trial.

Ludwig also faces a lawsuit in federal court alleging he is hiding $2 million from a creditor he owes nearly $7 million. A federal judge appointed a receiver in the case to take control of Ludwig’s real estate properties.