Man involved in killing T.I.'s friend gets 17 years

The driver of the vehicle involved in the Ohio highway gun battle that killed a member of rapper T.I.'s entourage has been sentenced to 17 years in prison, reports the Associated Press.

Padron Thomas, 41, told a judge he's a "knucklehead" and wishes he could take back what he did. He was sentenced Wednesday on gun charges and unrelated federal drug charges.

He testified in December against his younger brother, who was sentenced to 66 years in prison for shooting Philant Johnson in May 2006 after a T.I. concert in Cincinnati.

Three others were injured in the shooting. The Grammy-winning Atlanta rapper wasn't hurt.

In exchange for his testimony, Thomas received a reduced sentence for his involvement in a drug ring that shipped marijuana from California to Cincinnati.