CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – On Thursday, an Elkton, Kentucky, man pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide charges stemming from a DUI wreck that killed a Clarksville couple and seriously injured two others on Guthrie Highway in 2019.
Miguel Ruiz Matiaz, 38, was facing 14 charges: two counts of vehicular homicide by intoxication, two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, two counts of vehicular assault, two counts of aggravated vehicular assault, two counts of felony DUI, one charge of resisting arrest, two charges of vehicular homicide and one count of speeding.
He entered an open guilty plea on five counts: two counts of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence, two counts of aggravated vehicular assault and one count of DUI fifth offense, according to Assistant District Attorney Karen Willis.
At about 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 30, 2019, Matiaz rear-ended a car on U.S. Highway 79 near Hampton Station Road in Montgomery County, causing the wreck.
In the car were Suthun “Foo” Subhawong, 69, who sustained fatal injuries and died immediately, and his wife, Kay Eileen Subhawong, 64, who died in the hospital a week later on Oct. 7, 2019.
The pair were married for 41 years, and had two sons and three grandchildren.
Also in the car were former CMCSS Schools Director David Baker and his wife, retired teacher Nina Baker. They were critically injured but survived the wreck.
Matiaz was convicted of several DUIs prior to the 2019 wreck, including two in Robertson County – in October 2009 and in March 2010 – one in Montgomery County in December 2010 and one in Titusville, Florida, in October 2014.
The wreck that killed the Subhawongs and injured the Bakers is his alleged 5th DUI, making the counts of vehicular assault aggravated offenses and the DUI charges all felonies.
Matiaz’ sentencing is scheduled for June 1.