Sentenced to Jail: DUI Driver Who Drove onto Beach on Fourth of July

A man who on the Fourth of July drove his SUV onto the sand at Mission Beach while drunk, injuring several people, was sentenced today to a year in jail and ordered to abstain from alcohol during five years on probation.

Villiami Pomale, 45, pleaded guilty earlier this month to felony assault with a deadly weapon, DUI and misdemeanor reckless driving.

Judge Polly Shamoon suspended a five-year prison sentence, meaning Pomale could be sent there if he violates any terms of probation, including drug treatment.

The judge told the defendant it was nothing short of a “miracle” that no one was killed during his reckless and dangerous actions.

• See Also: Plane Crashes on Carlsbad Beach on 4th of July

Deputy District Attorney Karra Reedy echoed the judge’s comments, noting Pomale endangered the lives of a number of victims that day.

“This was a man who drove on the beach on one of the four busiest holidays of the year,” the prosecutor said. “He endangered the lives of hundreds, if not thousands of people. He was aggressive in each and every circumstance where he left a victim in his trail. He had multiple times that he could stop. People tried to confront him and actually force him to stop. He kept going.”

Defense attorney Joshua Bourne said Pomale’s actions were “completely out of character” for the deeply religious family man. Pomale -- an admitted alcoholic -- apologized to the victims and the citizens of San Diego for what happened.

The defendant, who lives in Northern California, was in San Diego July 4th visiting family and barbecuing before the incident happened.

“This was a shock to his family, and his friends, and his co-workers,” Bourne said outside court.

According to the prosecutor, Pomale clipped a skateboarder and hit a pole on Mission Boulevard about 6 p.m. on Independence Day. Witnesses confronted the defendant, but he sped off onto the beach, running over a person’s towel and causing a number of people to jump out of the way.

Pomale then rear-ended a car and cursed at a passenger who got out of the vehicle, Reedy said. She said an off-duty police officer yelled at the parties to exchange information, but Pomale drove off and brushed against the officer, hitting his arm and causing him to drop his cell phone.

Reedy said the defendant hit four people, and noted there were thousands of people on the beach that day.

The prosecutor said Pomale was driving 40 to 50 mph. Pomale’s blood-alcohol content was measured at .16 and .18 percent, Bourne said.

--City News Service