Judge Keeps 67-Year-Old Motorist in Custody After Fatal Crash Near Coral Gables

A Miami-Dade Circuit Court judge on Thursday upheld her decision to keep a 67-year-old motorist detained while facing charges stemming from a fatal vehicular crash. Allen Matis appeared before Judge Mindy Glazer for a second bond hearing, with his defense team requesting house arrest pending trial, but the judge refused to modify his custody status.

The June 24 incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. in the unincorporated Coral Terrace area near Coral Gables, according to Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office records. Matis was operating a Cadillac Lyriq on Palermo Avenue when he allegedly disregarded a stop sign and drove directly through a residential structure in the 2900 block of Southwest 57th Avenue.

The vehicle penetrated the home’s exterior wall with sufficient force to strike Henri Bezy, an 82-year-old resident who was in bed at the time. Bezy became trapped beneath the SUV and was declared deceased at the scene, authorities reported.

Blood alcohol testing conducted hours after the collision showed Matis had a blood alcohol concentration between 0.245% and 0.29%, more than triple Florida’s legal driving limit. Vehicle data recovered from the Cadillac indicated Matis accelerated to 43 miles per hour immediately before impact and did not brake during the final seconds before the crash.

During Thursday’s hearing, prosecutors noted that Matis had allegedly admitted to drinking at the Ritz Carlton prior to the accident, suggesting his level of intoxication may have caused him to drive past his own residence. Matis’ legal representative declined to provide comment following the proceedings.

A Miami-Dade judge is scheduled to hold another hearing Friday morning at 9 a.m. to determine whether Matis will remain incarcerated or be released on house arrest as his case progresses through the court system.