Murdercharge

20-YEAR-OLD DRINKER FACING MURDER CHARGE IN FATAL TRAFFIC ACCIDENT
Published on Thursday, January 1, 1998
© 1998 The Arizona Republic
Byline: By Jim Walsh, The Arizona Republic

   Police say underage drinker Matt Demos was driving 77 mph with a blood-alcohol count of 0.23 percent, more than twice the 0.10 percent legal limit, when he rammed into the rear of a Jeep Cherokee. The Jeep, stopped at a red light, burst into flames, instantly killing Aimee Ellis, 20, of Scottsdale.
Now, Demos, 20, of Tempe, is facing a second-degree murder charge in connection with the Dec. 13 accident at Chandler Boulevard and Interstate 10 in Chandler.
   His case has become a holiday reminder of the dangers posed by drunken drivers, police said.
''You have to consider the consequences of how many lives your irresponsibility may affect'' before driving drunk, said Sgt. Ken Phillips, a Chandler police spokesman.
''It's just so easy to abstain or get a designated driver before setting off on the road,'' hesaid.
Chandler police Officer Jim Hanrahan said there were no skid marks after the fatal accident, although one witness reported briefly seeing the brake lights on Demos' Nissan pickup. He suffered a fractured wrist, cuts and bruises.
According to Chandler police, Demos was charged with second-degree murder because of his high level of impairment, his excessive speed and his reckless disregard for human life. Demos also was charged in the recent indictment with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held in a Maricopa County jail in lieu of $80,000 bail. His arraignment is set for Jan. 2 in Maricopa County Superior Court.
Shawn Smith, a friend of Demos, told police that he and Demos had been drinking and smoking marijuana since they left work at 4 p.m. Smith estimated that Demos drank at least 11 beers and two shots of Jagermeister, andhad five to 10 ''hits'' of marijuana from a pipe during a seven-hour period, according to a police report.
Demos and Smith started drinking at the Stadium Club, a Chandler sports bar, at about 8 p.m. The accident occurred at about 11:30 p.m.
Steve Chisler, the bar's night manager, told police that a waitress served Demos five beers and a shot of tequila during the night. The waitress took the fifth beer away from Demos because she believed he was too drunk, the police report said.
Phillips said police are still investigating the Stadium Club and no decision has been made on whether criminal charges will be filed. A woman who answered the telephone at the bar Wednesday said the bar has no comment on the accident.
Ellis, a receptionist, had just left a party at her boss' house before the accident, the report said.
She is one of three East Valley victims to die in alcohol-related traffic accidents during this holiday season, said Mesa police Sgt. Brian Kozak, who is supervising the East Valley DUI Task Force. The other fatalities were in Mesa and Tempe, he said.
   Kozak wasn't shocked by Demos' high blood-alcohol level. ''Every night, we're getting at least a 0.25 percent come in,' he said. ''The average is about 0.15 percent.''Kozak said the highest blood-alcohol reading recorded by a suspect this year is 0.32 percent, while the highest reading he has seen during his career was a 0.41 percent.