An Ohio man who confessed in a viral video that he killed a man while driving drunk released a new video a year later describing his life behind bars.
In it, he makes a plea:
“My hope is that everyone can make the promise not to drink and drive. Not to make destructive decisions that could affect others negatively. But if you’re not at that point yet, and you are struggling, make the promise to seek help,” Matthew Cordle says.
The video was posted to YouTube by “Because I said I would,” a social movement and nonprofit organization based on the making and keeping of promises, according to Fox8Cleveland.
Cordle pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide and operating a vehicle while impaired.
He made headlines when he posted a YouTube video on September 3, 2013 confessing to driving while drunk and killing 61-year old Vincent Canzani on June 22.
Several days after the video appeared online, Cordle surrendered to authorities and was charged for his involvement in the wrong-way crash.
Cordle told a judge at a hearing that he did not remember the night of June 22 because he “blacked out” from drinking too much.
He apologized to the victim’s family and said, “It should have been me instead of an innocent man. I vow that I’ll do everything I can to prevent it from happening again and his memory from fading.”
Cordle was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison and a lifetime suspension of his driver’s license.
