CLEVELAND — A Jasper man found guilty last month of two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with a 2014 shooting death on the street in downtown Helen will spend the next four years in prison.
Glenn Patrick Lampien, 55, was found guilty on the two counts in the death of 68-year-old May Araim of Houston, Texas, who was walking on the Marketplatz downtown.
Lampien was sentenced to seven years, with the first four years to be served in incarceration and the remaining three to be served on probation. Additionally, he was fined $10,000.
The felony sentence was delivered Tuesday in White County Superior Court, and merged the two counts of involuntary manslaughter.
Lampien was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter because "while in the discharge of a firearm near a public highway, an unlawful act, [Lampien] did cause the death of May Araim, a human being, without any intention to do so, by discharging a handgun, without legal justification, within 50 yards of Main Street, Helen, Ga., a public highway, contrary to the laws of said state, the good order, peace and dignity thereof," court documents state.
Additionally, Lampien was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter because while in the commission of reckless conduct, an unlawful act, [Lampien] did cause the death of May Araim, a human being, without any intention to do so, by discharging a handgun while pointing the handgun in the direction of a sidewalk where there were numerous persons present, contrary to the laws of said state, the good order, peace and dignity thereof," court documents state.
The jury found Lampien not guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault, and a count of involuntary manslaughter by discharge of a firearm while under the influence of alcohol.
The incident happened around 10:40 p.m. Aug. 16, 2014, along Main Street (Ga. 75).
Helen police officers initially were dispatched to a call of shots fired on North Main Street near the Biergarten. When officers reached the area, they saw a man sitting on a bench with an apparent gunshot wound to his hand.
That male, identified as Lampien, was found to be in possession of a small-caliber handgun.
Additionally, officers on scene were made aware of an injured woman just across North Main Street.
Araim was pronounced dead on the scene.
"It was determined that the male had accidentally discharged the weapon into his hand," said then-Helen Police Chief Jim Couch said. "The bullet then traveled across Main Street, striking the female victim in the side."
Conditions of Lampien's probation will include avoiding alcohol and drug use, including: not consuming alcoholic beverages, and not using narcotics or dangerous drugs unless lawfully prescribed; not associating with anyone who uses or possesses illegal drugs; not occupying any residence or vehicle where alcohol or illegal drugs are present; not consuming alcohol and operating a motor vehicle; and non going to establishments that serve alcohol, court documents show.
Dean Dyer of WRWH Radio contributed to this report.
