Matthew Partiz Obituary, Death – The Franklin Police Department is organizing a DUI operation to honor the life of Matthew Partiz, a 54-year-old man killed in December 2023 by a drunk driver. Partiz, a passionate cyclist, was struck and killed while riding his bike along Mack Hatcher Parkway. He was known for his dedication to cycling, often riding two to three times a week. His wife, Donya Partiz, described him as a wonderful husband, father, and friend with a heart of gold. She expressed her heartbreak, saying that Matthew was taken from them because someone irresponsibly chose to drive after drinking.
The driver responsible for the accident, 23-year-old Denilson Jose Hidalgo-Orozco, was charged with vehicular homicide and DUI. Hidalgo-Orozco, a soldier from Ft. Campbell, pled guilty in September 2024 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Franklin Police Chief Deb Faulkner expressed the impact of the tragedy, stating that the incident had ruined countless lives, including Hidalgo-Orozco’s, and emphasized that impaired driving would not be tolerated in the community.
To honor Matthew’s memory and to prevent future tragedies, the Franklin Police Department will be holding a DUI saturation operation on December 20. This operation will involve a large number of officers patrolling the streets, actively looking for impaired drivers. Donya Partiz expressed her support for the initiative, emphasizing the importance of taking impaired drivers off the streets. She voiced her hope that this operation would prevent others from experiencing the pain and loss her family has endured in the past year.