Doug Kozar, a 2009 UT graduate, was killed by a drunk driver while walking to his car near the Marriott Waterside Hotel early Saturday morning after work.
At around 1:30 a.m. on that day, coworkers Doug Kozar, Kate Kohlier and Joao Barbosa were walking along the Harbour Island Boulevard Bridge when the driver of a 2011 Cadillac lost control of his car in the southbound lane.
The car careened off the road and onto the curb, crossing the northbound lane and hitting both Kozar and Kohlier.
Barbosa, 47, escaped the crash by jumping into a nearby bush.
UT grad Kozar, 23, and University of South Florida student Kohlier, 24, were killed.
“I see the car speed, speed like crazy,” Barbosa told tbo.com. “As soon as I see it, I go, ‘Doug, Doug, Doug, Kate, Kate, Kate!’ because I see the car looking like something is going to happen.”
The Cadillac driver, Matthew Moye, 33, is a licensed and practicing dentist at Big Bend Dental in Riverview, Fla.
He was driving under the influence of alcohol, according to Tampa police.
According to a police report, Tampa Fire Rescue pulled Moye, his wife and another female out of the car.
Moye then argued with a police officer, at one point slapping the officer’s hand.
Moye was arrested on the scene and charged with two counts each of DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide.
In addition, he was charged with one count each of DUI with property damage and battery on a law enforcement officer.
A detective notified Kozar’s father, Russell, about the accident at approximately 6:30 a.m. Saturday.
“To think that this happened when he was working so hard,” Russell told tbo.com. “He didn’t do anything wrong. He was just walking to his car.”
Kozar was born in July 1987 to Russell and Kathleen Kozar in Yonkers, N.Y. He attended St. Matthew’s grade school, Furnace Woods and Blue Mountain Middle School and Hendrik Hudson High School before attending UT.
In his spare time, he was an avid fisherman. His father stated publicly that the great fishing in Tampa was one of the reasons Kozar came to UT.
Kozar earned a B.S. in criminology with a minor in business administration.
According to his father, Kozar planned to climb the hotel’s corporate ladder and eventually manage its security department downtown.
“Just to be in the presence of him was comforting,” said friend Amy Capomaccio. “Although [Doug] is gone, the memories spent with him will still live on with those who were blessed enough to know him.”
A Facebook group was created for friends and family in honor of Kozar and Kohlier to remember their lives and help fight for justice to be served.
The group’s creator Therese Cuba said her goal is to raise awareness of DUI victims and create a place for people to find information about Kozar and Kohlier.
The group, called “Justice For Kozar And Kohlier,” is open for all users to join.
A Mass Christian Burial will be held for Kozar at 10 a.m. on Nov. 4 at The Parish of Saint Matthew in Hudson, New York.
Flower donations can be made to M.A.D.D., 790 Watervliet Shaker Road #6, Latham, N.Y. 12110.
Josh Napier can be reached at joshua.napier90@gmail.com.
I’m sure this dentist did not mean to kill anyone and his life is ruined b/c of a stupid mistake. What worries me is that his family has a history with getting in trouble w/ alcohol, as his wife was charged with DUI just last year. You would think the guy would think twice about driving drunk, especially speeding at almost 90 miles an hour in what probably was a 40 mph zone, I mean he’s not a child use your damn head. In addition after he killed these to people he seemed to show no remorse as he refused a breathalyser and got physical w/ a police officer on the scene. This man seems to have no morals or regret for killing these two young people. I firmly believe he needs to serve some serious jail time for this, he took 2 peoples lives for driving like a drunk teenager. Their is no excuse in this case he has prior experiences with DUI’s in his family and he was using that bridge as his own private race track, it wasn’t like he had a few too many drinks and cautiously drove home…He seemed to have no regard for the law in this matter. I personally knew Doug and he was a great kid
My God, almost a year after Erik was killed near UT.
Someone has got to do something!
My love and prayers to the Kozar’s. I know how you feel; I am
going through it with you (all over again).
D. Nicoletti