Wrestling Community Mourns Matthew Daines, Killed โฃin Suspected DUI Crash
SPRINGVILLE, Utah – A Springville man is โbeingโข remembered as a hero โafter he was killed in a crash last weekend, allegedly caused by a driver six times overโ the legal blood alcohol limit. โคMatthew Daines,25,died when his vehicle โwas struck by a โcar driven by โMcIntyre,who has been booked into โขthe Utah County Jail on second-degree felonyโ automobile homicide and multiple misdemeanor charges.
daines, a recent state champion in โฃopen freestyle wrestling, had been married for just aโค month and a half. His โฃcoach, Craig Miner, described Daines as “a Superman always,” and “a great man.” The two had shared dinner with Daines and his wife just days before the tragedy.
“We were talking โฃabout life and how happy โฃthey were,” Miner said. “They were looking forward to life together.”
According to โState representative Tyler Clancy, a former wrestler and current law enforcement officer,โฃ Daines “sacrificed his own life to protect his wife” during โthe โคcollision.The loss has deeply impacted the wrestling community. Miner, who coached Daines for years, said his former team -โ who refer โto themselvesโค as “a band of brothers” – were “devastated” by the news.
The incident has also renewed focus on Utah’s DUI statistics. representative Steve โฃEliason noted nearly 12,000 DUI arrestsโ were made in the state last year, โฃwith 75% being first-time offenders. โขLawmakers are currentlyโ exploring measures to combat DUI-related โtragedies, including enhanced โwarning labels on alcohol, increased funding for enforcement, andโ a recentlyโ passed law holding drivers accountable for child support if they kill a parent in a DUI crash.
A makeshift memorialโ has sprung up at โคthe crash site, adorned with flowers and a Superman cape. Daines’ family โhas released a statement requesting privacy and discouraging retribution.
those wishing to support Daines’ family can contribute to a GoFundMe established in his memory:
