An Ohio man is allegedly trying to help curb drunk driving with a 3.5-minute YouTube video where he confesses to killing a Columbus man while driving under the influence. The video, recorded on Sept. 3, 2013, has been viewed better than 1.2 million times so far. His attorneys are downplaying any idea that he may be hoping that the video could result in a lighter sentence, saying that he steadfastly desires to accept responsibility for the accident.

The fatal wrong-way crash occurred June 22 on Interstate 670 after a night of barhopping according to the video. The 22-year-old Powell man states that he had been suffering from depression and was simply trying to have a good time. He goes on to call driving that night a “mistake,” admitting that he struck and killed the victim.

He subsequently turned himself in, and authorities booked him into the Franklin County Jail. Arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 10, and the young man has declined to comment, based upon the advice of his attorneys. According to the prosecutor, if he is convicted, he could be facing as much as 8.5 years in prison. Currently his attorneys have stated that they are hoping for their client to be freed on bond once he pleads guilty and prior to sentencing, so that he can carry on with spreading his message against drunk driving.

Drunk driving accidents can occur anywhere and, when Columbus residents find themselves in a situation where car accident injuries have negatively affected their lives, a Columbus car accident attorney could help them to get their lives back on track by building a strong case for compensation. An experienced personal injury attorney could assist in examining the police reports and investigating all of the circumstances leading up to the accident to proceed toward what could be a positive outcome for the client.

Source: Huffington Post, “Matthew Cordle, driver who confessed to killing man in YouTube video, charged with aggravated vehicular homicide”, Kantele Franko and Andrew Welsh-Huggins, September 09, 2013