Man charged with killing biker had been cited for DUI before

Police say a man charged with killing a motorcyclist when he drove head-on into the bike on Hixson Pike was cited for DUI just four months before and was drunk and driving on a suspended license when the latest accident occurred.

Demario Goodwin, 26, who is charged with vehicular homicide and driving under the influence in the Sept. 25 crash, was bound over to the grand jury Tuesday, and General Sessions Court Judge Clarence Shattuck set his bond at $100,000.

"He shouldn't have been driving at all," Shattuck said during a hearing. "This is a horrible set of circumstances."

Goodwin's family came from Memphis to watch the hearing Tuesday, and family of the 51-year-old victim, Perry Maddox of Chattanooga, were also present.

Goodwin's blood-alcohol level tested at 0.23 after the accident, police testified, nearly three times Tennessee's legal limit of 0.08.

"This is almost an unbelievable amount," Shattuck said.

Police said Goodwin's Ford Explorer crossed over into the northbound lane of Hixson Pike and stuck the Kawasaki driven by Maddox. The bike burst into flames, and Maddox was pronounced dead at the scene.

At the time of the wreck, charges in two other cases were pending against Goodwin.

One was a DUI charge from a May 28 arrest in Red Bank. In that case, Goodwin's blood-alcohol level tested at 0.27, police testified. Goodwin pleaded guilty to that DUI charge this week.

Goodwin also faced charges of attempted first-degree murder and aggravated assault from a 2008 incident. In that case, police said Goodwin beat a man, shot him in the leg after he regained consciousness, then pushed him out of a car.

Goodwin pleaded to assault and was given a suspended five-year sentence in October.

Contact Staff Writer Joan Garrett at jgarrett@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6601.

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