Man charged over fatal Lexington crash that prompted protests testifies in his own trial

The man on trial for manslaughter and driving under the influence in connection to a fatal 2020 Lexington accident took the stand to testify on his own behalf Thursday.

Matthew Starling, 33, faces charges of second-degree manslaughter and driving under the influence after colliding with motorcyclist Daezon Morgan in a crash that left Morgan dead, according to court records. The accident occurred on June 8, 2020, when Starling turned in front of Morgan, who was driving his motorcycle on Richmond Road.

Starling was initially charged with an aggravated count of driving under the influence, according to court records. After Morgan died and police investigated further, Starling was charged with manslaughter. He testified Thursday while facing the possibility of spending up to 10 years in prison if he’s convicted.

“It’s devastating to everybody here,” Starling said in court. “I’m sorry, yes. I’m sorry to every individual that this has affected.”

The crash left activists and Morgan’s loved ones publicly mourning his death. Family members, protesters and other motorcyclists demonstrated with a march in Lexington after the crash, calling for justice in the case. Some suggested that Starling should’ve faced more severe charges.

Sondra Morgan, Daezon Morgan’s wife, said during the demonstrations that the man was “loved by everybody.” Tre’Von Petty, one of Daezon Morgan’s friends who rode motorcycles with him, said he was “cheated out of his life.”

‘Justice for Daezon.’ Protesters shut down Richmond Rd. for motorcyclist killed in crash.

Lexington motorcyclist’s death drew protests. The trial for the deadly crash has started

While on the stand Thursday, Starling recounted the events leading up to the crash, the accident itself and how it’s impacted his life since.

“Nobody wants to be involved in anything like this ever,” Starling said. “Hindsight is 20/20 but if I knew what would’ve happened, I would’ve stayed home. I would’ve never gone there.”

Starling said he woke up on June 8, 2020 after completing a 13-hour shift the day prior as the general manager of Local Feed, a restaurant in Georgetown.

Driver explains amount of alcohol he consumed prior to crash

Starling said he originally planned to spend June 8 catching up on leisurely self-care tasks, but changed his plans when a few of his friends invited him out to Goodfellas Distillery on Old Frankfort Pike. He left his house on Preston Avenue at around 5 p.m. that day and had not consumed an alcoholic beverage up to that point, Starling said.

At Goodfellas, Starling had a number of drinks, including a shot of tequila, two hard ciders, one-and-a-half beers and a couple sips of a cocktail, he said.

Starling said he left Goodfellas at around 7:30 p.m. and went to Smashing Tomato, a pizza shop at the Fayette Mall, to get dinner. He said he then went to a friend’s house near Richmond Road to pick up some shoes he left there previously.

Starling said he had no issues driving to Smashing Tomato or his friend’s house.

Driver says he ‘tried to evade’ motorcycle before wreck

Starling said he spent approximately 30 minutes at his friend’s house and didn’t have any drinks there before leaving to go home around 8:30 p.m. When Starling came to the intersection of Richmond Road and Preston Avenue, he said he recalled seeing a blue motorcycle traveling at a high rate of speed before colliding with Morgan.

“It seems clear for me to drive through to cross and I’m in the right lane,” Starling said, describing the moment leading up to the crash. “At that second, I catch it out of my peripheral. I catch a motorcycle coming right at me. I tried to steer left, I tried to evade him but there was nothing I could do. I tried to accelerate to get out but it was too fast.”

Greg Marlin, a Lexington police officer who investigated the crash, said in court previously that Morgan was going 55 miles per hour in a 35-mile-per-hour zone.

After the collision, Starling said he got out of the car to check on Morgan while screaming for someone to call 911. When the other motorcyclists in Morgan’s group caught up to the scene, they told him to get away.

Starling sat in his vehicle and waited for police and other first responders to arrive.

“It was the most terrifying thing I’ve ever encountered in my life,” Starling said. “Being in an accident of that level where you know that somebody has died, somebody’s husband, father, son, it’s terrifying.”

Starling said the scene was chaotic when police arrived and administered field sobriety tests on him. Sgt. Brandon Muravhcick, the officer handling the tests, agreed to have Starling do the tests at University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital to get away from the scene.

Starling ultimately failed field sobriety tests and Muravchick placed him under arrest on an aggravated charge of driving under the influence. He was released from jail on bond before investigators were able to obtain a warrant for manslaughter.

Starling was later arrested again after he turned himself in.

Activists and those close to Morgan expressed frustration over the way police handled the initial investigation and said that Starling shouldn’t have been released on bond before being charged in Morgan’s death.

Police defended their handling of the case and said it was common for police to upgrade charges after doing further investigation in similar cases.

Lexington manslaughter suspect denied lower bond. Police explain sobriety test delay.

Previous trial coverage

Starling’s trial started earlier this week as both prosecutors and Starling’s defense team called witnesses and experts to the stand. Those who gave earlier testimony spoke to Starling’s level of intoxication, his failure on field sobriety tests and other factors in the crash.

Investigators and experts also spoke to Morgan’s speed on his motorcycle and the amount of marijuana that was in his system when his body was examined after the crash.

Lexington motorcyclist’s death drew protests. The trial for the deadly crash has started

Starling could face up to 10 years in prison if he’s convicted of second-degree manslaughter.