Kimball Pleads Guilty in Deaths

Olympic diver Bruce Kimball changed his mind an hour into his trial and pleaded guilty today to drunk-driver manslaughter after he smashed his car into a group of teen-agers in August, killing two and injuring four others.

The athlete, who registered 0.2 on a blood-alcohol test, pleaded guilty to two counts of driving under the influence-manslaughter and three counts of causing great bodily injury while driving under the influence.

Through sobs, Kimball’s father said outside the courtroom that it was his son’s decision to plead guilty.

“We really did not talk about it,” said Dick Kimball, University of Michigan diving coach. “He did it for the right reasons. He did not want to put the parents of the families through a horrible trial . . . or our family.”

Kimball, who remained in custody, faces sentencing on Jan. 30 at 9 a.m. when he could face up to 22 years in prison under state sentencing guidelines.

The defendant and attorneys went into judge’s chambers soon after the trial started today.

A half-hour later, a grim-looking Kimball came back to the courtroom.

“Are you pleading guilty because you are guilty and for no other reason?” the judge asked Kimball.

Kimball replied softly: “Yes.”

The case generated extensive publicity last summer when Kimball decided to compete for a spot on the 1988 Olympic diving team less than a month after the accident.

Outraged members of Mothers Against Drunk Driving and friends and family of the victims went to Indianapolis and staged a silent protest. Kimball failed to make the U.S. team.

He was accused of killing Robbie Bedell, 19, and Kevin Gossic, 16, and injuring four other people.