A Caltrans transportation engineer who struck and killed a pedestrian in Mission Hills will serve a one-year work-furlough term instead of going to prison after pleading guilty to felony hit-and-run.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Lisa Rodriguez sentenced 59-year-old William John Christian to two years of probation, fined him $820, revoked his driver's license and ordered him into a residential work-furlough program starting March 2. Until then, he remains free on $100,000 bond. The victim, 69-year-old Steven Mark Davis, died hours after the early-morning collision.
Prosecutors say Christian was driving home from Barona Casino around 4:30 a.m. when he hit Davis as the pedestrian crossed Hancock Street between Witherby and Noell Streets around 5 a.m. Video from a nearby business captured the crash and the type of car involved, and prosecutors said cell phone data placed Christian at the scene. When arrested, he acknowledged he had been driving a Dodge Challenger, though police never found the vehicle. The judge gave Christian credit for four days already served and ordered him to surrender on March 2 to begin the work-furlough term, according to Times of San Diego.
Davis was rushed to a hospital and died during surgery at 10:05 a.m. His attorney said he suffered a traumatic brain injury, an intra-abdominal hemorrhage and fractures. At the scene, first responders asked Davis whether he had been hit by a car and he told ambulance personnel "no," as reported by Times of San Diego.
How the Crash Unfolded
Court filings state that after the initial impact, Christian made a U-turn, paused to look at the injured man in the street, then drove off without providing aid. Another driver came upon Davis and called 911. Prosecutors say surveillance video, combined with a public tip, helped investigators zero in on the type of vehicle involved. The casino identified in the filings is Barona Resort & Casino in Lakeside.
What Work Furlough Means
Christian's sentence will be carried out through San Diego County's County Parole and Alternative Custody (CPAC) unit, which runs Residential Reentry Center and work-furlough programs. Participants in these programs work or attend school during the day and return to a secure facility at night.
The CPAC program includes GPS monitoring, case management and reintegration services meant to let people keep jobs while serving county sentences, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Office.
Legal Context
Christian pleaded guilty to felony hit-and-run under California Vehicle Code section 20001, which allows for prison time and fines when a crash causes injury or death. The statute also gives judges discretion to reduce minimum imprisonment "in the interests of justice," language that aligns with the court's decision to place Christian in a supervised work-furlough setting rather than impose a longer custodial term, per California Legislative Information.
What Happens Next
Christian is scheduled to surrender to the work-furlough center on March 2. He will be allowed to work during the day while being detained at night and on weekends, with credit for the four days he has already served. Deputy District Attorney Lauren Wade is listed as the prosecutor in the case, and the file may be available through San Diego Superior Court records as the matter proceeds.
