A driver accused of deliberately driving into a group of pedestrians, killing one and injuring eleven, near the Venice Boardwalk pled not guilty to all charges in court Tuesday.
In total, 38 year old Nathan Campbell was charged with murder, sixteen counts of assault with a deadly weapon, and seventeen counts of hit and run. With his not guilty plea entered, he is due back in court on September 4, where he could face up to life in prison. His bail has been set at $1.48 million.
“He is quite distraught. He is very saddened that an individual has lost their life,” says public defender Phillip Dube, who believes that the accident was just that: an accident. “He does not believe that he is a homicidal person.”
Campbell is accused of driving his 2008 Dodge Avenger sedan into a crowd of pedestrians at around 6 p.m. on Saturday, fatally wounding a woman on her honeymoon, 32 year old Alice Gruppioni, and injuring eleven others. According to an autopsy performed by the county coroner’s office, Gruppioni was killed as a result of blunt force trauma to the head and neck. Some witnesses at the scene reported that he appeared to be driving intentionally into the crowd of people before driving away from the scene. Approximately an hour after the incident, Campbell abandoned his car and turned himself into a Santa Monica Police Station.
This is far from Campbell’s first run in with the law, who twenty years ago spent several months at the Covenant House in Hollywood, a housing facility for the homeless. Upon leaving the house, he moved to Georgia, then to Florida, then to Colorado where he was charged with several crimes including trespassing shoplifting, and reckless driving. He reportedly moved back to Los Angeles just three months ago, driving his Dodge Avenger sedan, which was purchased outside Denver.
If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident involving a reckless driver such as this, you should take action. With the help of an experienced Los Angeles car accident attorney, compensation can be recovered from those at fault to cover the costs of your injuries. This compensation can be used to pay for car repairs, medical bills, and even replace wages from time spent away from work.
At AA Accident Attorneys, we will work to get you the full amount that you are rightfully owed, helping you back onto your feet as quickly as possible. As always, we will not charge you for any of our legal services until your case is won. If we are unable to collect on your case, then you will not have to pay us anything. For more information and a free evaluation to discuss your available options, call us right away. We are available seven days a week, any time, day or night.
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