Ohio man who confessed to DUI death will plead guilty

9/11/2013

COLUMBUS — An Ohio man who confessed in an online video to causing a fatal wrong-way crash after a night of heavy drinking will plead guilty to the crime next week, according to his attorneys.

Matthew Cordle entered a preliminary plea of not guilty Wednesday in a procedural move allowing a judge to be appointed to accept a guilty plea.

Cordle will plead guilty Sept. 18 to aggravated vehicular homicide to make good on his pledge to accept responsibility for the crash, his lawyers said Wednesday. They will decide later whether to seek Cordle’s release on bond before sentencing to allow him to spread his anti-drunk-driving message.

In a 3½-minute video posted last week, Cordle admitted he killed a man from a Columbus suburb and said he “made a mistake” when he decided to drive that night.

“My name is Matthew Cordle, and on June 22, 2013, I hit and killed Vincent Canzani,” he says somberly. “This video will act as my confession.”

Cordle, of Powell, another Columbus suburb, faces two to 8½ years in prison.