Former Jonesville Police Chief David Parker (center) reaches for his wallet to surrender his driver's license after pleading no contest Tuesday in Cherokee County General Sessions Court to involuntary manslaughter for a July 2006 accident that claimed the life of an 8-year-old girl. Parker maintained he did nothing wrong behind the wheel, but hoped the young girl's family could heal. He is flanked by his defense attorney, John Hawkins (left) and prosecuting Assistant S.C. Attorney General C. Dale Scott. (Ledger photo / TIM GULLA) A former Jonesville police chief continued to maintain Tuesday he did nothing wrong during a fatal accident July 6, 2006, that claimed the life of an 8-year-old girl.

But David Parker's attorney conceded in court that had Parker's case gone to trial, a jury would have likely wanted to hold someone accountable.

Parker, 37, who no longer wears a badge, pleaded no contest before Circuit Court Judge Roger Couch in Cherokee County General Sessions Court to the charge of involuntary manslaughter, a lesser charge than the reckless homicide offense he originally faced in the death of Peechis Sierra Moore, of 102 Massey Drive.

Parker's attorney, John Hawkins, said Parker hoped the plea would not only give him closure, but also bring closure to Moore's family.

"Although David continues to believe he is not guilty of any crime, he is truly heartbroken by what happened," the defense attorney said at Tuesday's hearing. "He believes this was an accident that was unavoidable on his part, and hopes that one day there can be true healing for this family."

Healing didn't seem all that likely after the hearing, however, as Robert Moore, the young girl's father, maintained that nothing Parker did would make up for the loss. "He gets to go home to his family," Moore said of Parker. "I get to pray for my baby. That's all I get to do."

Parker, who resides in Union County, could have been sentenced to up to five years' imprisonment on the charge of involuntary manslaughter. Judge Couch decided against jail time in the case, but crafted a sentence that hangs jail time above Parker's head should he have any legal problems in the future.

Parker was given a suspended prison sentence and will have to serve four years of probation, one of which will be served under house arrest with electronic monitoring. Parker will have to stay in his home during that time, unless going to places like work, church or a doctor's office, the judge said.

In addition, Parker was sentenced to 120 hours of community service. Judge Couch recommended that Parker use some of those hours talking to youth groups about safe driving and his experience. Parker also will lose his driver's license for an undetermined amount of time.

The incident occurred at about 1:30 p.m. July 8, 2006, on White Plains Road in Gaffney.

Parker had been visiting his grandmother that day and was returning home to Gaffney from Spartanburg in his Dodge truck. He wasn't on duty at the time.

While there remained some dispute as to how the accident occurred, Moore lost control and struck and killed the 8-year-old girl while she was standing along the roadway waiting to

cross the street to rejoin her siblings and babysitter.

Assistant S.C. Attorney General C. Dale Scott, who prosecuted the case, said state Highway Patrol accident investigators determined Parker was driving 65 mph in a 55 mph zone.

Attorney Hawkins noted there was no driver impairment and that substances like alcohol played no role. Additionally, he maintained there was no evidence of distraction, such as the use of a cell phone while driving.

Hawkins maintained that Parker rounded a curve on White Plains Road and saw multiple things unfold in front of him, children to one side of the road, an oncoming car, a car pulling out from a driveway, and the young girl stepping into the roadway.

"Things happened very quickly as they do in life," Hawkins said.

Hawkins claimed Parker hit his brakes and veered to avoid the child, but was unsuccessful.

"It was unavoidable on his part," the attorney said.

Mr. Moore said his daughter, Peechis, was taught never to step foot in the roadway if there was oncoming traffic and said the evidence showed Peechis was struck while she was off the roadway, standing on the grass.

Her last three words, he claimed, were "Stop. Stop. Stop."

The last words, he said, were heard by Peechis' siblings, who were standing across the roadway and witnessed the accident, the father said.

"It was an accident," Attorney Scott from the Attorney General's Office agreed after the hearing. "(But) Our contention is it was an avoidable accident."

Mr. Moore remembered his daughter as one of the "happiest children you could meet."

She always had a smile on her face, he said, and even dreamed of being a police officer some day.

"She wanted to be a cop," he said. "For her to be taken by one, it's wrong."

Parker served as a City of Gaffney police officer between 1994 and 1999 and worked for the Chesnee Police Department after that. From 2003 until 2006 he worked for the Jonesville Police Department, the last few years as acting chief and then as chief.

Supporters who stood by him in court all said he was a hard-working and committed public servant. Following the charge against him, he retired from police work and now works as an electrician, it was noted in court.

While not discounting the pain suffered by the Moore family, Hawkins said Parker has been devastated by the events.

"He has grieved and his heart has been broken and he relives this every single day of his life," Hawkins said.