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Last June just outside Columbus, Ohio, 61-year-old Vincent Canzani was killed in a drunk driving crash after another driver drove the wrong way. It happens 10,000 times a year in the U.S., even after decades of PR campaigns and ever-increasing DUI penalties. ‘

But what makes this case different is the drunk driver, who has yet to be indicted for the accident. On September 3rd, 22-year-old Matt Cordle released a video confession, addressing a history of alcohol misuse, and “taking full responsibility for what I’ve done to Vincent Canzani and his loved ones.”

Titled “I Killed a Man,” Cordle says he is using the video to warn others against drinking and driving, and has launched the campaign #saveyourvictim. He states that attorneys advised him that they could “get him off,” but he is compelled to own his actions and take the punishment. At the end of the 3-plus minute video, he implores viewers–“begs” them–not to drink and drive.

As the video begins to circulate on social media, some claim he is using the platform for his own benefit when it comes to sentencing. Whatever your thoughts, we think you’ll agree it’s a powerful video.

Sobering Up Administrator

Sobering Up Administrator

Sobering Up: A blog about drunk driving, alcohol addiction, and criminal justice, is anything but a corporate blog. Sobering Up is an opportunity for anyone interested or involved in the issues of drunk driving, alcohol-fueled crime, alcohol dependence and addiction, and the justice system to participate in the conversation.

5 Comments

  1. It’s to little and to late….very sad for the families of the victims of these senseless and selfish acts

  2. Courageous. If you have spent anytime at all watching DUI/DWI court cases one would see that there are too many people making $ off of the problem. The lawyers specifically are the worst. They know their client’s guilty and yet they encourage them to lie and work the system. I know they have to represent their client zealously but from personal experience if you are working with an alcoholic this type of “help” is called “enabling”. Make excuses, defend them voraciously and that alcoholic is going to walk off thinking they don’t have a problem….and then drink and drive again. He pleaded not guilty as a procedural thing.
    Hope this young man will learn his lesson, kick his problem. As for those who watched his video and still don’t get it…he is trying to tell you: DON”T ruin your life and the lives of many other people. DON’T drink and drive. Ever.

  3. It did cross my mind that he is simply using this method of confessing to encourage the pubic to take pity on him, but the message is very moving. Having been through the DUI process myself, I share his sentiment and give the same message to every young person I talk to on the matter. It’s never worth it to drink and drive.

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