Man Pleads Not Guilty To Charges In Fatally Striking Woman

SAN DIEGO, CA — A man who allegedly drove under the influence and fatally struck a pedestrian in Kearny Mesa pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and DUI.

Frank William Shoaf, 39, is accused in Tuesday's crash, in which he allegedly ran a red light at high speeds on Othello Avenue around 8:30 a.m.

Deputy District Attorney Abrey Zora said in court that Shoaf's Tesla veered to the right side of the road, struck a dip and flew onto the sidewalk, striking a woman, a traffic sign and a tree.

The victim, identified in the criminal complaint as Cassandra May, was taken to a hospital, where she died a few hours after the crash.

The prosecutor said that just after the crash, Shoaf appeared to not realize he had crashed the car or struck a pedestrian, and failed a series of field sobriety tests.

Zora alleged Shoaf admitted to buying a can of "Dust Off" canned air shortly before the crash and has a history of huffing chemicals.

The prosecutor described Shoaf as an Uber driver, though it was unclear whether he was working at the time of the crash.

Shoaf remains held without bail.

— City News Service