Woman calls date with convicted cardiologist "Scariest day of my life"

Stephen Matthews, a erstwhile cardiologist who was convicted complete nan summertime of drugging 11 women and sexually assaulting 9 of them, faces sentencing Friday day successful a Denver courtroom. Prior to that sentencing, 1 of nan women he was convicted of drugging has shared her communicative successful an on-camera question and reply pinch CBS News Colorado.

The woman, Allie, 34, says her "date" pinch Matthews successful January 2023 "was nan scariest time of my life. ... The only clip I thought I mightiness die, honestly. I didn't cognize what was going to hap to maine if I mislaid consciousness."

CBS News Colorado Investigator Brian Maass interviews Allie. CBS

Allie, who asked that her past sanction not beryllium used, said she hoped telling her communicative "gives 1 much subsister nan courageousness to travel guardant and get justness for themselves and heal."

Matthews was convicted successful August of 35 retired of 38 counts related to drugging and sexually assaulting galore women betwixt 2019 and 2023. He met nan women connected making love apps for illustration Hinge and Tinder. But nan women who testified against Matthews -- including Allie -- told remarkably akin stories of having drinks pinch Matthews and past losing representation of what happened next. Some said they remembered waking up naked aft having non-consensual activity pinch Matthews.

Allie said while she mislaid representation aft having a portion astatine Matthews' westbound Denver townhome, she did not judge she was sexually assaulted but believes she was drugged.

"I was excited to spell connected a first day and get to cognize him," she said, aft nan 2 connected via nan Hinge app.

She said she liked that he was a expert whose floor plan showed he was a canine proprietor who enjoyed nan outdoors. Allie useful successful nan wellness attraction field, is simply a canine proprietor and besides enjoys hiking.

But aft gathering Matthews astatine a barroom for a drink, she agreed to locomotion pinch him to his townhome to fto his canine out. Once there, she said she went to nan bath but erstwhile she came out, he had mixed a portion for her that she ne'er asked for.

"I didn't want to beryllium rude and didn't want to offend him truthful I took nan drink," she recalled.

After drinking astir a 4th of it, she quickly began to consciousness physically ill, her reside was slurred and she began losing her representation and her centrifugal skills.

CBS

"I retrieve astatine 1 constituent falling each nan measurement to nan crushed and looking up astatine him arsenic he was astir to movie me," she said.

She said nan cardiologist put his limb astir her cervix and shoulders and put her successful a headlock, and pulled her caput backmost to forcibly buss her. She said it was "painful" and she could not escape.

Allie said she thought to herself that she had to time off "Or I'm not going to beryllium capable to leave. I felt for illustration I had to get out. I knew that my expertise to power my assemblage was quickly disappearing and if I did not time off wrong minutes, I didn't deliberation I would ever beryllium capable to leave."

During nan interview, she said she ran from Matthews' home, initially leaving down her coat, purse and shoes.

"I conscionable had this aggravated desire to flee," she recounted.

She said she summoned an Uber and vomited "uncontrollably" while successful nan car. Several different women who opportunity Matthews drugged them besides said they vomited.

The pursuing day, Allie went to an urgent attraction halfway successful Denver, hoping to get tested to spot if she had been slipped a date-rape drug. She said aft 20 minutes, nan halfway said they did not person nan supplies to do a supplier test.

"I felt wholly dismissed," said Allie, "like they weren't taking this seriously."

She believes urgent attraction centers for illustration nan 1 she visited request to beryllium amended equipped to grip women who judge they person been drugged.

For respective months, she felt isolated by what had happened.

CBS

"I perfectly did everything I could to make it my fault. I thought I was alone, I thought location was thing incorrect pinch maine that made him want to wounded me," she said.

But aft discussing her acquisition pinch a friend, she was directed to a Facebook group wherever women had shared akin experiences aft making love Matthews. She felt validated by seeing she was not alone, and past reported her acquisition to nan Denver Police Department.

Testifying against Matthews proved difficult, arsenic Allie now says nan proceedings was "retraumatizing" arsenic Matthews' attorneys made her consciousness for illustration she was connected trial.

But nan jury's blameworthy verdicts proved a awesome step.

"It was a immense alleviation to person nan assemblage opportunity they believed maine and nan different women."

She says she has struggled pinch anxiety, slump and nightmares since her azygous day pinch Stephen Matthews and is now hypervigilant astir her safety.

"It's exhausting," she said.

She plans to talk astir these issues erstwhile she again testifies Friday astatine Matthews' sentencing.

"I americium going to inquire nan judge for nan maximum sentence. Every azygous time there's astatine slightest a infinitesimal of my time that revolves astir this personification who wounded me."

Allie says she has "no doubt" location are much victims of Matthews who person not travel guardant aliases person not been identified. She pointed to nan measurement of women Matthews was gathering connected making love apps.

"I judge nan survivors who came guardant is conscionable nan extremity of nan iceberg."

Allie said she has recovered adjuvant resources to woody pinch what she has been done via defense organizations for illustration nan Blue Bench, which useful to forestall intersexual violence, and Jane Doe No More, which intends astatine empowering survivors of intersexual abuse.

Matthews is being held successful nan Denver jailhouse connected $5 cardinal bond. His attorney, Douglas Cohen, declined to comment.