A New Jersey man will spend 100 months in prison for causing a DUI crash that killed a co-worker who was also in his car.
On Aug. 14 in Johnson County District Court, Matthew Karabas, of Monroe, New Jersey, was sentenced to prison for two felonies for causing a head-on crash last year that killed Eric M. Diaz, a co-worker from Florida who was a passenger in his vehicle.
The sentencing includes 82 months for involuntary manslaughter and 18 months for attempted aggravated battery. They will run consecutively. He will serve his time within the Kansas Department of Corrections’ prison system, but no details are available about which prison he’s been assigned to.
Both were in town as traveling salespeople for Vivint Security.
During the sentencing, Karabas was seated in front of his family, while Diaz’s family watched via a video broadcast. Both sides spoke about their trauma and sadness caused by the crash.
“(Diaz) was a light with a rare, pure heart, but most importantly, good character, and at the tender, innocent age of 22 lost his life due to the reckless decisions of someone much older than he, who should not only have been more responsible, but should have never got behind the wheel after drinking, especially with someone else’s life,” Diaz’s family wrote in a letter read by state attorney Kendall Kaut.
The sentencing came after Karabas reached a plea deal with the state that amended the original charges of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, driving under the influence with aggravated battery and fleeing and eluding a police officer.
Judge Michael P. Joyce handed down the sentence.
The crash occurred on I-35
In the early morning hours of April 28, 2024, Deputy James Gdanski, of the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, reported almost being struck by a Jeep driving the wrong way on Interstate 35 south of 199th Street, according to a criminal affidavit.
It was later confirmed that the vehicle was being driven by Karabas, with Diaz in the passenger seat.
In response, Gdanski activated the lights on his patrol vehicle and crossed the median to pursue the Jeep. To try and get the attention of Karabas, he used his spotlight and air horn, according to the affidavit.
At one point, Karabas stopped and pulled off the road into the median before accelerating again and driving on the road. He drove about a half-mile on the wrong way of the highway before hitting a semi tractor-trailer head on.
Diaz was killed in the crash
After the crash, Gdanski approached Karabas’ vehicle and discovered Diaz, who died in the crash, and Karabas unconscious with lacerations on his head and arms.
Samuel Garrido, the semi tractor-trailer driver, suffered knee pain from the crash.
When Gdanski spoke with Karabas at the scene of the crash, he said he had “the strong odor of consumed alcohol,” according to the affidavit.
When Karabas was transported to Overland Park Regional Medical Center, nurses also reported that he appeared to be intoxicated.
Diaz’s family spoke about their son
In a letter to the judge, Diaz’s family detailed his life and character. He was an athlete, known for playing football and lacrosse, as well as a cook. Most of all, he was a great friend and son, they wrote.
“He was a beam of positivity. He would not only offer you the shirt off his back, but offer his help whenever, (with) anything you needed, and he was there for his family and friends, whom he cherished,” they wrote.
The loss of Diaz has caused “unimaginable” pain to his family, they wrote.
“We not only lost our son, but we lost our purpose in life, which was being his parents,” they wrote. “Each day is an excruciating existence which feels like what it would feel like imagining this, any parent’s worst fear, and even just imagining it makes the fear drop down to the pit of your stomach.”
After reading the family’s letter, Kaut asked that the judge impose a 123-month prison sentence for Karabas.
Karabas and his family asked for mercy
Present in the courtroom, three of Karabas’ friends and family members, as well as Karabas, spoke, all stating he made a fatal mistake, but is asking for forgiveness.
Karabas regrets the choices he’s made and has accepted responsibility and wants to help prevent more people from making that mistake, said Ryan Fletcher, a pastor at Legacy Christian Church in Overland Park, where Karabas attends.
“To be very candid, myself and (Associate Minister Jack Caldwell) have worked with a number of different people in very challenging situations, and it is very rare for me to come across someone who admits their fault so freely and openly accepting the consequences that come with that,” he said.
During his speech to Judge Joyce, Karabas detailed his friendship with Diaz and the guilt he feels for causing the crash that killed him.
“We traveled together, we lived together, we ate together, share[d] our thoughts, laughed and made plans for our future together,” he said. “I was raised to be a man of faith and prayed healing for God to ease the pain in their hearts of everyone who loves Eric. I feel very guilty that I survived such a terrible accident.
“My words will never be enough to heal their hearts. My hope is that only they can forgive me, even if I can never forgive myself. I sincerely apologize the unfathomable grief his family has endured during the months I spent in custody,” he added.
Paul Cramm, Karabas’s attorney, asked the court to impose a 69-month prison sentence.
The judge gave Karabas 100 months in prison
Taking in both Diaz’s family wishes and Karabas accepting responsibility, Joyce explained his decision to sentence Karabas to 100 months in prison.
“There’s probably no sentence, whether it’s low or high, that justifies or is justified based on what happened. A life was lost,” he said. “I’m sure I agree with Mr. Cramm when he says this wasn’t intended to happen. No one intends to have an accident, but decisions are made every day after alcohol is drank. That leads to these kinds of tragedies.”
Weighing both sides’ sentencing requests, Joyce aimed for something close to the middle.
“I don’t think 69 months is enough time and 10 years is too much,” he said.
After handing down the sentence, Joyce said to Karabas that he hopes he follows through with making amends and improving his life.
“I hear all the time, and it’s certainly out in the press, about how people that serve time in prison come back out of a release from prison worse off than they started. (That) really comes down to you, Mr. Karabas, how you utilize the time that you’re in custody,” he said.
“I hope you’re able to utilize that time productively, and that you do come out and do exactly the things that you indicated you wanted to do. Good luck to you, sir,” he added.
Karabas is being sued by Diaz’s parents
In December 2024, Katherine and Eric R. Diaz, Eric M. Diaz’s parents, filed a wrongful death lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Kansas, against Karabas.
In the lawsuit, they claim Karabas was acting with negligence and recklessness when he drove the Jeep while intoxicated.
“(Karabas) knew that fleeing law enforcement and participating in illegal conduct was putting others at risk of injury or death,” court documents stated. “(He) chose to ignore these risks and the probable consequences of his actions, causing a collision and the death of Eric M. Diaz.”
In the lawsuit, the Diaz family is asking for compensation for damages including loss of earnings, funeral expenses, mental anguish, suffering and bereavement. They are asking for $75,000, plus additional costs.
In an amended response filed in February, attorneys for Karabas denied claims the Diaz family made in their lawsuit, including that he was intoxicated, fled from law enforcement and was driving recklessly.
In May, both sides filed a joint stay of discovery in the case until after Karabas’s sentencing. They have until Friday to file another joint status report updating the court on the criminal case, according to court records.
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