OCEAN CITY - Former professional soccer player Matthew Maher lectured students at the high school Thursday about making smart decisions - or smarter ones than his to drive drunk to Atlantic City.

Maher, 25, formerly of Middle Township, caused a fatal accident March 7 on the Atlantic City Expressway. He will be sentenced in January to at least three years and a maximum of 10 years in state prison for the crash in Hamilton Township that killed Hort Kap, a New York resident and father.

During a school assembly sponsored by Ocean City police and the South Jersey Traffic Safety Alliance, Maher told students he made countless good decisions on his path to a professional soccer career. He played for the Philadelphia Kixx and was a Temple University and Middle Township High School standout.

"I was labeled 'that guy,' a top recruit who was expected to excel," Maher said.

But it was a particularly bad decision that claimed a life, ended Maher's career and put his immediate future on hold. Now he's "that guy," the one whose careless actions killed someone, he said.

"An innocent life was taken. His name was Hort Kap," Maher said. "I face up to 10 years in state prison. That feeling? You don't want that feeling. But that means nothing to knowing I was responsible for someone's death."

Maher said the night he went to the Philadelphia bars, he was depressed about a career-threatening knee injury he had suffered days earlier. He was scheduled for surgery to repair the anterior-cruciate ligament and the meniscus he tore on the field.

Maher said he was the designated driver for his friends but shared a couple drinks when he happened upon his old college roommate. The friends went to a second bar, where the bartender told a grim story of tearing up his knee as well.

"We were sharing depressing stories. I started doing shots - one, two, three in a row," he said.

While driving from Philadelphia to Atlantic City, Maher's speeding sport utility vehicle struck Kap's car, sending it rolling into a guardrail. Maher's blood-alcohol level was .21, more than twice the legal limit, according to police.

Maher spoke to students at Cumberland County College on Monday and plans to speak to other schools, including Atlantic Cape Community College.

Since his sentencing is approaching, Maher's speaking tour might be viewed with some cynicism that he is possibly trying to win leniency with the court.But after his presentation Thursday, Maher said his words were sincere.

"All I know is this is coming from the heart," he said.

Regardless, his audience of juniors and seniors was rapt and applauded appreciatively after he finished.

Police Sgt. Charley Simonson said personal stories from peers such as Maher can be more effective than rote speeches by authority figures about the possible consequences of drunken driving.

"He's closer to their peer group. They can relate to him," he said.

Kap's sister, Yang Kap, 57, of Philadelphia, on Thursday said she was glad that Maher was sharing the tragedy with others."It's good if it helps to stop people from driving drunk," she said.

Hort Kap, 55, was a Cambodian refugee who fled to the United States with his siblings after Communists killed their brother during the Vietnam War. In America, Hort Kap helped translate for other newly arrived Cambodians.

He lived in New York with his girlfriend and worked at her salons, Yang Kap said.

She said she does not want to see Maher go to prison.

"My brother's dead already. He's gone, but I don't want to take another life. It was just one mistake. It was a truly big mistake," she said. "I don't want to lock (up) another life that can be free."

Maher will be sentenced Jan. 7.

Contact Michael Miller:
609-463-6712
MMiller@pressofac.com