August 23, 2006

SAN DIEGO – An 18-year-old driver whose blood-alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit when he ran over and killed a USD law student in Pacific Beach pleaded guilty Wednesday to felony charges.
Daniel Scott Hall spoke softly and appeared somber as he pleaded guilty to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and hit-and-run resulting in death.

He faces anywhere from probation to 11 years in state prison when sentenced Nov. 6 by Superior Court Judge George “Woody” Clarke.
Hall swerved to miss a row of cars near the intersection of Garnet and Haines Street and struck 25-year-old Christopher McCallister just before midnight on June 24, according to prosecutor Makenzie Harvey.

She said the victim was crossing the street with two roommates when he was hit almost head-on and thrown into the windshield of Hall's Toyota Celica.

McCallister was pronounced dead at the scene.

“Chris was an extraordinary human being with a bright and exciting future,” his mother said outside court. “He had a million friends. This young man touched many lives.”

McCallister's father, Chris, said he and his wife, who live in Albuquerque, N.M., had “25 wonderful years with him.”

Gerri McCallister said more than 900 people showed up at a memorial service for her son in Albuquerque, and another 500 attended a service in San Diego.

Classmates want to have another memorial service for him, according to his mother, who said the recently established Chris McCallister Scholarship Fund already contains $7,000.

She said Hall made the decision to drink and drive, and should receive the maximum sentence possible.

Shaun Schmidt, who was among those wearing a Mothers Against Drunk Driving red bracelet on his wrist in memory of his friend, said the victim “was just an outstanding individual.”

Kellie Matijasevic, who lives in Dallas, said seeing Hall plead guilty to killing her brother brought back the pain. “I miss his tremendously,” she said.

McCallister's roommates made it safely across the street and he was hit, but Hall narrowly missed one of them, Harvey said.

A witness noticed a car with a smashed windshield, saw the accident scene and called 911, the prosecutor said.

Officers stopped Hall's car 10 minutes later at Interstate 5 and Sea World Drive and took him into custody.

The defendant's blood-alcohol level was .23 percent after the accident, according to Harvey. The legal limit is .08.



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