Topeka ? The same risk-taking that earned Michael Cruse awards for valor and courage blinded him to the danger at which he placed innocent citizens, a judge told the former police officer.

Cruse, 31, of Topeka, pleaded guilty Wednesday to misdemeanor vehicular homicide in an on-duty collision that killed Leonard “Butch” Porter, 61. Cruse also pleaded guilty to speeding and failing to stop at stop sign in the April 30 accident.

Shawnee County District Judge Eric Rosen sentenced Cruse to one year in jail, but suspended the sentence to 30 days in jail and 60 days of house arrest. Cruse also was ordered to surrender his Kansas driver’s license and pay an $84 fine.

Cruse was originally charged with reckless involuntary manslaughter, a felony, but reached an agreement with prosecutors earlier this month.

Just before sentencing Cruse, Rosen noted his citations of valor.

“Nothing can take those away,” the judge said.

At the hearing, Cruse faced Laura Porter, the victim’s widow, and five friends or members of Leonard Porter’s family to apologize.

“I’d trade places and leave behind my wife and kids. I would,” Cruse told Laura Porter.

Cruse, a four-year Topeka police veteran, was fired June 17. In August, the city and police department agreed to pay $425,000 to settle a wrongful-death lawsuit filed by Porter’s relatives.

Cruse and an officer following him, whose car was not involved in the crash, did not have their lights and sirens on at the time of the collision.