An emotional defendant, Alma Giles stood quietly as the D.A. read a letter from Rhonda Freeman, the mother of the hit and run victim, Richard Freeman.
"The anger, the disbelief, overwhelming sense of loss are unbearable at times. There are days I feel so numb I couldn't feel my heart beating but then I knew it must be because I'm still here."
It was last January, just after midnight in Pt. Loma. Giles was driving the first of three vehicles to hit Freeman.
He suffered massive head injuries and the medical examiner declared he could not have been saved; but Giles never stopped; later returning to the scene after first driving home.
Freeman was in a crosswalk but crossing against the light; he was wearing dark clothes and had a blood alcohol level of point 27; very inebriated and high on marijuana.
Judge Louis Hanoian noted that this was truly an accident but the crime was leaving the scene.
"Certainly Mr. Freeman, the victim, did not deserve to die but it was Mr. Freeman's conduct that cause his death."
He sentenced Giles to six months work furlough and three years probation.
