Alaska Man Sentenced to Three Years for Accidentally Killing Friend He Put in a Chokehold

An Alaska man was sentenced to three years in prison on murder charges after he accidentally killed his friend.

Ketchikan Superior Court Judge William Carey delivered the ruling this weekend.

32-year-old Thomas Guthrie IV died after Steven S. Cook, 35, put him in a fatal chokehold, the Ketchikan Daily News reported.

The two men reportedly grew up together in the small Alaskan town.

They were both drunk at the time of Guthrie's death, and reportedly got into a scuffle that turned deadly.

Carey described the case as "emotionally wrenching," before he sentenced Cook to three years in prison for negligent homicide and second-degree assault.

Cook cannot drink alcohol during his incarceration period.

The 35-year-old Ketchikan resident's mother and father said they hope Cook will be able to stay sober for his sentencing.

Cook's parents said they have been sober for close to two decades.