Malicious damage charges with tearing up a field?

So someone i know is being charged with malicious damage for tearing up a field with a car. He didn't do it someone who owned the car and was driving without a license did it but when the cops came the person i know jumped into the driver seat because he had a license and tried to drive away. obviously didn't happen and he took the blame for doing it. It was two cars that tore up this park and there was no evidence like grass on the car or anything because they had cleaned the cars before the police had came and there was only a few ruts in the grass not too much damage at all. He is pleading not guilty but will it most likely just be a fine that can be paid off or will he have to do jail time? Also they have recently torn up the whole park field and its all dirt now...