A sailor has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of a Point Loma woman who was killed in December after the sailor drove the wrong way on Interstate 8 while he was allegedly intoxicated.
Sarah Christine Lombardi, 54, was driving home from work on Dec. 20, 2021, on Interstate 8 just east of Sunset Cliffs Boulevard at 11:30 p.m. when her Toyota Camry was struck by a Subaru Outback SUV driven by Eric Deangelo Ramos Cortez, 24.
Ramos was also injured in the crash and charges were not filed until May in San Diego Superior Court after the investigation was mostly finished.
Ramos pleaded not guilty on May 16 before Judge Laura Halgren. He is also charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and driving with more than .15 blood/alcohol limit.
Lombardi worked at Kansas City Barbecue, a downtown restaurant, for 26 years, according to her obituary. She is survived by her husband Danny Lombardi and her teenage son, Jonathan.
An Aug. 2 preliminary hearing was set. Ramos was arrested at a hospital and underwent surgery, but was released some days later when charges were not immediately filed.
Ramos was assigned to the Coronado Amphibious Naval Base as an electrician and has been in the Navy for two years, according to court records. He is from Sacramento.
He was arrested on May 6 on a judge’s warrant by the Fugitive Task Force. Ramos remains in the George Bailey Detention Facility without bail.
Two witnesses told the California Highway Patrol they saw the Subaru driving the wrong way on Interstate 8 and both called 911, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
Ramos told CHP officers he estimated he drank 5-6 beers on base before going out drinking with a Navy buddy later that night. Ramos said he had a margarita and three more beers, according to the affidavit.
His blood/alcohol level at the hospital was .18, which is over twice the legal limit for felony drunk driving, according to records.
“I don’t know why I got behind the wheel,” said Ramos to officers.
He said he got into an argument with his girlfriend that night and said that was the last thing he recalled before waking up in the hospital. Ramos said he did not recall being in a crash.
An investigator asked him how many “Safety Stand Downs” had he attended in the Navy, and Ramos answered “more than enough for me to do this.” He said he understood it was dangerous to drink and drive.
The CHP checked with Navy records and found 12 places on forms where Ramos initialed that he understood the Navy’s alcohol abuse policy. He also attended an Alcohol, Drugs, and Tobacco Awareness forum in 2021.
His most recent safety briefing took place three days before the crash, according to court records. A Navy official said sailors are encouraged to call an on-duty driver to come to pick them up if they have consumed alcohol.
One of Ramos’ friends was interviewed by the CHP who said every weekend sailors are warned: “not to add or subtract to the population.” When asked what that meant, the friend said, “Don’t get a girl pregnant and don’t kill anyone.”
If Ramos is ordered to stand trial for murder, his jury will decide whether he is guilty or not guilty of second-degree murder or gross vehicular manslaughter, or both offenses.
