Family of Miami man killed by drunk driver wants case to ‘serve as a reminder’

Coral Gables admin October 23, 2026 0 Comments

Family of Miami man killed by drunk driver wants case to ‘serve as a reminder’

In a Miami courtroom on Thursday, Clare Bezy, 88, recounted the horrible memories she had from the day a drunk driver rammed into her home.

On June 24, her younger brother, Henri Bezy, 82, was killed while he was sleeping inside. Since then, Clare has lost her companion, who she said was always smiling, generous and fiercely loyal to his friends.

“I’ll always remember Henri as that sunny, young man,” Clare said in court. “Always, I’ll remember him that way. He was my best friend.”

Dressed in orange jail clothes, Allen Matis, 67, the Coral Gables real estate developer behind the wheel that day, raised his right hand and pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter and reckless vehicular homicide charges stemming from Bezy’s killing.

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Tanya Brinkley sentenced Matis to six years in prison followed by two years of community control, which is similar to house arrest. After that, Matis will have to complete six years of probation. His license will also be revoked for the rest of his life as a result of the plea agreement with prosecutors.

On June 24, Matis blew through a stop sign and slammed into a home on the 2900 block of Southwest 57th Avenue, where Bezy was sleeping. Following the crash, Bezy was trapped under Matis’ 2025 Cadillac Lyriq. Bezy died inside the home of blunt-force trauma and traumatic asphyxia, according to Matis’ arrest report.

READ MORE: Drunk drivers who killed man asleep in bed and another driving charged: deputies

Seconds before the crash, Matis accelerated from 0 to 43 mph, according to the report. His car’s data also showed the accelerator was 99% pressed down, and the brakes were not used. Matis was drunk during the crash, with a blood sample almost four times over the legal alcohol limit. Bezy’s sister Clare was also inside the house at the time of the crash but was not injured.

Prosecutor Laura Adams said the state offered Matis the plea deal after considering his age and willingness to take accountability for his “egregious driving.” Matis will get credit for the two months he served at Metro West Detention Center, where he has been held without bond since his arrest in August.

Outside the courtroom, Clare and Bezy’s friend, Gary Wilcox, told reporters they hope the public will draw on lessons from Bezy’s tragic death: “Just don’t drink and drive. It’s as simple as that.”

A friend to all

Addressing the court, Wilcox recounted how he met Bezy at Chuck Wagon, where his family had been going since the ‘70s. Over more than a decade, Wilcox and Bezy’s friendship blossomed, he said.

“He was an advisor,” Wilcox said. “[He would] tell me things I should know about life. He helped me make important decisions. He taught me a lot of things. He was like a big brother.”

Wilcox showed the judge photos he and his wife had gathered of Bezy over the years. He remembered how Bezy loved to fish and loved nature. Bezy was a veteran, a Miami-Dade deputy sheriff in the 1960s and a trucker, he said. Wilcox added he will miss Bezy’s birthday dinners at Olive Garden.

“These are some of the best times,” Wilcox said.

Wilcox recalled how Bezy once wanted to have the biggest steak, so Wilcox searched until he found one that weighed three pounds. He said he gave Bezy his word that he would take care of Clare if anything ever happened to him. Clare is now living with Wilcox; her home was demolished in the crash.

“I’m going to miss him,” Wilcox said, choking up. “June 24 will be with me for the rest of my life…. Henri can never come back, but I hope this will serve as a reminder to many people that they need to think about their choices when they drink and drive.”

Wilcox turned to Matis, and said he wished him the best — and that he will pray for Matis and his family for the rest of his life.

“I hope you understand the pain you caused by your decision,” Wilcox said.

Expressing remorse

Matis wrote a five-page statement that was filed in court. The statement extensively detailed his resume as a developer who worked in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Miami. Matis was working on the Miami Riverbridge Project, a $1.5 billion redevelopment in downtown Miami. Only the last two paragraphs of his statement addressed the crash.

“I pray to Henri everyday. Henri’s death is my cross to bear every day. Every charitable act I do from now on will be in honor of Henri,” Matis said in the statement. “I can’t undo what I’ve done, but I do intend to use my remaining years as a force for good.”

Before Matis addressed the court, the judge said she found Matis’ written statement “self-serving” and asked him to speak about “what matters:” Bezy and the impact Matis’ decision to drive drunk had on Bezy’s loved ones.

Matis’ attorney, Bruce Lehr, said his client “showed the most remorse I have ever seen from any defendant.”

In court, Matis said he has not slept a night since the crash. He said he has prayed and begged for Bezy’s forgiveness. He began to cry as he said he hopes he can get Bezy’s forgiveness so he can “save his soul.”

“It’s hard for me to put in words the… horror I’ve put on their family, on my family and on myself,” Matis said. “I shattered, I put holes in their lives… I can’t undo this.”