TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Nathan Derickson made his first appearance in Vigo County Court Thursday.

The 19-year-old faces a charge of reckless homicide for the shooting death of 17-year-old William Garett Sands.

The Terre Haute South student died from a gunshot wound to the head early Wednesday morning.

It all happened in a home in the Idle Creek subdivision that belonged to Derickson’s parents.

Several teens were in the home having a party and allegedly consuming alcohol and smoking marijuana.

The gun belonged to Derickson’s his mother.

Court documents say one of the teens told police the group had been playing with the gun all night, unloading and reloading it and that Derickson thought the gun was unloaded when he pointed it at Sands, and pulled the trigger.

The gun did not fire the first time the trigger was pulled but it did fire the second time.

Derickson has posted 10% of a $50,000 bond and has been released on the condition he is placed on in-home detention and will have to submit to random drug and alcohol screens.

Derickson’s next court date will be Wednesday (4/4/18).

If convicted of the reckless homicide charge he could be sentenced to as much as six years in prison.