Man Confessed to Felony DUI in YouTube Video, Charged with Two Counts
A young driver who confessed that his drunk driving killed a man has now received two felony DUI charges.
A grand jury in Franklin, Ohio indicted Matthew Cordle on Monday, September 9th, on felony DUI charges including aggravated vehicular homicide and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol. The felony DUI charges come more than two months after the incident occurred.
The 22-year-old video confession has been watched on YouTube more than 1.2 million times.
If convicted, the felony DUI charges could land the young man more than 8 years in prison.
“My name is Mathew Cordle, and on June 22, 2013, I hit and killed Vincent Canzani,” Cordle says in the video posted Friday. “This video will act as my confession. When I get charged, I will plead guilty and take full responsibility for everything I’ve done to Vincent and his family. … I won’t dishonor Vincent’s memory by lying about what happened.”
The victim’s family has had mixed reactions to Cordle’s confession. Angela Canzani, the 61-year-old victim’s daughter, believes that Cordle is attempting to mitigate his punishment with the public apology and warning. Canzani’s wife, Cheryl Oates, says that while she believes Cordle should spend time in prison, she believes his remorse is genuine.
“It’s gut-wrenching coming from a mother looking at that young boy, and he just doesn’t understand the damage that he did,” she said. “He said I made a huge mistake, and I’m going to take what’s coming to me … You’ve got to respect him for that.”
In the video, Cordle says that he spoke with some “high-powered attorneys” who said it would be possible to get his blood test thrown out. Reportedly, Cordle’s blood alcohol content (BAC) was 0.19% after the crash, which is more than twice the legal limit of 0.08%. Cordle said the attorneys he spoke with told him that similar cases get thrown out. However, the young man said, “All I would have to do is lie … I won’t go down that path.”
South Carolina Felony DUI Law
- A person will be charged with a felony for driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or both, if while operating the vehicle under the influence, the person causes “great bodily injury” or death to a person other than himself including a passenger, pedestrian, another driver.
- Great bodily injury is defined by the state of South Carolina as bodily injury, which creates a substantial risk of death or which causes serious or permanent disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ.
- Additionally, if the injured person dies from related complications (such as a coma) within three years of the DUI-related injury, the driver may be implicated in the death.
- Upon conviction of a felony DUI by jury, the accused faces a minimum mandatory prison sentence and fine.
The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Felony DUI Charges in South Carolina
Based in Columbia, SC, the attorneys at the Strom Law Firm collectively have over 30 years of experience with South Carolina law. The firm was founded in 1996 by former US Attorney and Assistant Solicitor Pete Strom. If you face felony DUI charges in South Carolina, we can help. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case. Do not let DUI or felony DUI charges prevent you from pursuing opportunities. Contact us today. 803.252.4800
