The parents and friends of a law student who was killed by a drunk driver in Pacific Beach watched as the 18-year-old driver pleaded guilty Wed., Aug. 23, to gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and hit and run that results in a death.
The judge told Daniel Scott Hall he faces 11 years in state prison and a $20,000 fine as a result of his guilty pleas. Hall admitted to causing the death of Christopher McCallister, 25, who died several hours after he was struck by Hall’s car on Garnet Avenue near Haines Street on June 24 at midnight.
There were tears on both sides, as the parents, sister, and friends of the victim wept openly ” as well as from Hall during his guilty pleas before San Diego Superior Court Judge George Clarke.
Hall, who was dressed in jail garb, looked more like a juvenile than an adult.
Hall, who will turn 19 on Sept. 2, worked at a market in Point Loma, and had planned to go to college this fall. He remains in the George F. Bailey Detention Facility on $200,000 bail.
Sentencing was set for November 6. Hall could get 11 years or less in prison, but could also be placed on probation on terms that limit his jail sentence to one year.
“The sentence for making the decision to drink and drive is truly minimal when it takes another life,” said Gerri McCallister, the victim’s mother.
She acknowledged it was “hard to hear” the words acknowledging her son’s death by Hall’s actions. “I feel like he’s accepting responsibility, but it doesn’t make Chris come back,” she said. “It’s another reminder to people to not drink and drive.”
The victim was a second year law student at the University of San Diego. He worked for a commercial lending firm and was a law clerk at a local law firm. He was with friends when he was hit by the car, which didn’t stop and sped off. Another motorist followed the car and notified police, who pulled Hall’s car over on Interstate 5 near the SeaWorld exit.
“He was kind, intelligent, happy, and beautiful. He had an exciting future and a million friends,” his mother said.
“We had 25 wonderful years,” said his father, Chris McCallister.
“Chris was a special guy,” said his friend, Shaun Schmidt.
The judge noted there was no sentencing agreement with the prosecutor, Makenzie Harvey, who did agree to dismiss two additional counts of drunk driving, which might not have increased the potential sentence. Hall pleaded guilty early in the case before a preliminary hearing was even held.
The case has also spelled grief for Hall’s family as well. His father, Peter Hall, wrote a letter to a judge in hopes his bail could be lowered. Hall’s mother needs a caretaker to help her dress, prepare her meals, and give her insulin after she suffered “cognitive impairments” from diabetes. Daniel Hall had been caring for his mother, but the family had to hire a caregiver since he was in jail. his father wrote.
Hall’s attorney, Scott Williams, asked another judge to lower the original $250,000 bail to allow Hall to be able to care for his mother, but the judge only lowered it to $200,000.