Whitley sentenced Thursday for killing bike rider

A 20-year-old Wilmington man was sentenced this afternoon for killing a bicyclist on River Road last year.

Jordan Whitley pleaded guilty to felony death by motor vehicle in the death of Phillip Tidmarsh, who was riding his bike when Whitley hit and killed him last September.

Whitley also pleaded guilty to felony drug possession and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. A syringe was found in his car after the accident which contained heroin.

Assistant District Attorney James Blanton says Whitley will serve five months, and then be on probation for three and a half years. “When a defendant has no record like in this case, judges are allowed to give up to a 25-to-39 month active sentence or just probation or what’s called a split sentence. What a split sentence is when a defendant serves a period of confinement in the department of corrections and then they come out on probation.”

Whitley has been on house arrest since the incident happened. Tonight will be his first night in jail.