Drink driver confesses on website that he killed man

Matthew Cordle confesses in a video posted online that he's to blame for a wrong-way car crash (YouTube)

A motorist has confessed in a video posted online that he’s to blame for a wrong-way car crash after a night of heavy drinking. One man was killed in the crash and the driver says he’s willing to take “full responsibility”.

The video, posted on at least two websites, shows 22-year-old Matthew Cordle describing what led to the accident in which he killed the man three months ago.

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

Mr Cordle says in the video he “made a mistake” when he decided to drive his truck home after “drinking really heavily” and hit a car, killing the 61-year-old Mr Canzani, from Columbus, Ohio.

He said that he understood by releasing the video he’s giving prosecutors “everything they need to put me away for a very long time”.

Franklin County prosecutor Ron O’Brien said Mr Cordle was a suspect in the deadly crash but hadn’t been charged. Mr O’Brien said he saw the video on Wednesday and downloaded a copy onto a CD as evidence. He said he’ll ask a grand jury to indict Mr Cordle for “aggravated vehicular homicide with an alcohol specification”, a charge that carries a maximum of eight years in prison. Mr Cordle’s blood sample from the night of the crash tested positive for alcohol and negative for drugs.

Defence lawyer George Breitmayer III said the video “is a strong testament” to Mr Cordle’s character.

Mr Cordle ends the video confession by “begging” viewers not to drink and drive.