Former 'Deadliest Catch' Captain, Clarence 'O' Helgevold Jr., Gets Five Years in Prison

An Alaska fishing captain who appeared on the program that spawned Discover Channel's "Deadliest Catch" was sentenced to five years in prison as a result of an earlier fatal snowmobile crash, according to the Associated Press.

Captain Clarence "Ole" Helgevold Jr. was originally charged with manslaughter when his car crashed with a snowmobile in January 2011. The man driving the snowmobile was thrown from the vehicle and died at the scene.

But in May, Helgevold pleaded guilty to reduced charges and will serve four-and-a-half years for criminally negligent homicide and six months for driving under the influence. The plea deal also included a $5,000 fine, of which $1,000 is suspended, and a 37-month license revocation. Helgevold must also submit to alcohol screenings and undergo alcohol treatment.

Helgevold was the captain of the Arctic Dawn, which was featured on 2004's "America's Deadliest Season," which led to the successful Discovery Channel series.

The seemingly cursed documentary-style series has been linked to lots of legal trouble: In March 2010, then-21-year-old Jake Harris (late Capt. Phil's son) was charged with reckless driving and operating with a suspended license; in early May 2010, a "Deadliest Catch" production manager faced felony drug charges; and in mid-May 2010, a then-23-year-old "Deadliest Catch" fisherman was sentenced to nine-and-a-half years in prison after three robbery charges.