The Amish taxi driver whose license was suspended when he hit and killed a Middlefield motorcyclist in October received the maximum 18-month prison sentence for vehicular homicide Feb. 20 from Geauga County Common Pleas Court Judge Matthew Rambo.
The Amish taxi driver whose license was suspended when he hit and killed a Middlefield motorcyclist in October received the maximum 18-month prison sentence for vehicular homicide Feb. 20 from Geauga County Common Pleas Court Judge Matthew Rambo.
Matthew Claar, 48, of Eagle Creek Road in Leavittsburg, had three active license suspensions and 35 total lifetime license suspensions at the time of the crash, said Geauga County Assistant Prosecutor Nicholas Burling. Claar pleaded no contest to the fourth-degree felony charge Dec. 22.
“He was told time and time and time again: you are not allowed to drive, and he disregarded all of that and got behind the wheel and killed someone,” Burling said. “He decided to throw all of his eggs in the basket of being an Amish taxi driver when he knew that profession, for him, was illegal.”
The victim, Joseph “Joey” Plotts, loved camping and traveling with his dog, Sweetie. He was a graduate of Cardinal High School, and served as a firefighter and EMT for the Middlefield Volunteer Fire Department.
He is remembered for his ability to create, build things, and solve any problem, and his ability to cook anything. And he is remembered for his tie-dye shirts, which were worn by many of the 16 supporters, family and friends, who were sitting inside the courtroom for Claar’s sentencing.
“I’m a Christian man; I will not judge you,” said Joseph’s father, Harvey “Gene” Plotts, who turned directly to Claar. “God will judge you. And I hope he judges you real soon.”
He continued: “This was not an accident. You got up that morning and you decided to drive. This was a crime. You killed my son committing a crime.”
Sara McNicholas said being Joseph’s little sister had defined so much of her life.
“We rode our bikes, we played tag, he would even willingly play Barbies with me,” McNicholas said. “Joey never left me behind. My brother had the same group of friends since kindergarten. They all included me. Joe never left me out.”
One of those friends from grade school, Robert Miller, talked about a newspaper photo the two had of them making a snowman during fourth grade recess.
“As that small group of friends grew closer and closer, even after graduation had died down, our lives and families continued to blend together,” Miller said. “Each one of us fighting for one another, brothers in the purest form, all formed from one thing: love.”
Plotts was hit from behind and killed on Oct. 4, 2025, at 11:11 a.m., on Route 528, as he was about to turn his Honda Gold Wing motorcycle onto Nauvoo Road, a quarter mile from his Middlefield Township home.
Claar has been in trouble with the law since he was juvenile, and spent a prison term from 2019 to 2024. In a court document, Assistant Prosecutor Burling detailed Claar’s criminal record dating back to 1996. The charges, most often in Ravenna, Warren and Newton Falls, included disorderly conduct, aggravated assault, aggravated menacing, petty theft, criminal trespassing, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, domestic violence, littering and driving under suspension.
He said Claar had only stayed out of trouble when he was behind bars.
“I want to focus on some of the factual issues that were present in this case,” Burling said. “We will concede we have no evidence of drugs or alcohol in the defendant’s system. But this rises to a felony if you are under suspension at the time of the offense.”
In a long, winding apology to Plotts’ family, Claar, who was often in tears, told the courtroom he had been abused as a child, suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, and had substance abuse issues.
“It haunts me everyday. I have nightmares every night,” Claar said. “I sleep very little. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of your little boy. I would give my life now if I could. I would give you folks that — but I can’t.”
One of Claar’s jailmates, a man named Joe, also spoke on his behalf.
Just before receiving his sentence, Claar asked for a continuance, saying he needed to get money for his disabled mother.
His lawyer, Chief Public Defender Paul J. Mooney, said Claar was “trying to make a living as best he could” as an Amish taxi driver, despite the license suspension. He also shook a stack of medications he said Claar takes.
“There’s no denying his record,” Mooney said. “It’s not a good record, and I’m not here to explain any of that or to justify any of it.”
In fact, Judge Rambo said Claar’s pre-sentencing report lists seven pages of prior offenses.
“The reason licenses are suspended are so days like today don’t happen — days like Oct. 4 don’t happen,” Judge Rambo said. “You had 35 different opportunities to avoid what happened. Quite frankly, all the reasons you’re telling me you deserve a lighter sentence, or reasons you should come back at a later date, are things you should have considered before getting behind the wheel of a car.”
Eighteen months in prison was the maximum sentence allowed for Claar, who received 80 days credited to time served. Judge Rambo also suspended Claar’s license for five years when he is released.
After the sentencing, members of the Plotts family said they wanted to see law changes for Amish taxi drivers.
As the sheriff’s deputy handcuffed Claar and removed the contents of his pockets, including a wad of cash, his friend Joe asked what he wanted him to do with the money.
That was for his commissary, Claar replied.
