Drunk driving charges were brought against San Diego Police Officer, David Hall, after he allegedly crashed his car into another on Interstate 805’s onramp from Murray Ridge Road while off duty on February 22nd. A woman in that car was injured and Hall left the scene. Police officers found him at his home and field sobriety tests were conducted. His blood alcohol content (BAC) was .32, four times the legal limit of .08. (The incident was previously posted on this blog on May 3rd and April 13th, 2011.)
On May 2nd, Hall plead not guilty to two counts of DUI causing injury and one count of felony hit and run with an allegation that his BAC was above .15. He was put on paid administrative leave from the department. If convicted, Hall faced a maximum sentence of three years and eight months in prison.
A pretrial hearing was scheduled for Thursday. Apparently, the stress was too much for Hall to bear. On August 1st, he took his own life with one gunshot wound to his head. He was found by his wife in the backyard of their Clairmont Mesa home around 10 a.m., according to latimes.com.
SDPD Chief, William Lansdowne admitted the department was aware of the stress Hall was under after the drunk driving arrest, according to signonsandiego.com. He was utilizing the department’s Wellness Unit; his last appointment was the day before he took his life.
Criminal allegations, facing jail or prison time, and the possibility of losing your job can cause great stress for criminal defendants. If you have been charged with a crime and the stress has become unbearable, consider seeking help from mental health professionals.
If you’re accused of drunk driving in San Diego County, call The Law Offices of Susan L. Hartman right away. In California, a first conviction with no accidents, injuries, or additional allegations can mean months without a driver’s license, jail or probation, alcohol education classes, and thousands in fines and fees. The Law Offices of Susan L. Hartman offers free, confidential consultations, so you risk nothing by speaking to us about your case and your rights. To set up an appointment, send us a message online using the “Contact Us” section on this page or call 619-260-1122.