The man who drove a vehicle while impaired and caused a fiery crash on Jamul Highway in the El Cajon area of California, took his plea on Thursday, September 3rd. David James San Nicholas, 33, pleaded not guilty to charges that include gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
The San Diego County Deputy District Attorney Cally Bright said that the defendant caused the death of 64-year-old Sabah Aso on August 3rd, 2019. The DDA alleged that Nicolas was significantly under the influence of methamphetamine when he veered into the opposing lane of traffic just before 1 p.m.
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The man struck the victim’s car head-on, and the impact caused it to go down an embankment, where it overturned and became engulfed in flames. The California Highway Patrol stated in the car accident report that the fire-blackened out an acre of brush.
Nicolas suffered severe injuries, including a fractured femur and lumbar. The man’s legal counsel informed the court that he became disabled due to the crash, and when he gets released from custody, he will be unable to drive a car.
The defendant remains in custody on a $50,000 bail bond, and he is back in court on Friday, October 16th, for the preliminary hearing. There is no additional information.
Driving under the influence is a severe offense in California. The standard punishment associated with the crime covers imprisonment, fines, driver’s license revocation, and time at a rehab facility.
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