San Diego City Councilmember Raul Campillo, his wife and their two-month old son were entering Interstate 8 near La Mesa several days before Christmas when a speeding drunk driver almost killed them.
The family is safe, but their SUV was totaled, and he remains shaken by the Dec. 20 incident. “A few inches here or there — the result would have been much worse,” he said.
The driver didn’t stop, but was apprehended by California Highway Patrol officers about two miles away. The female suspect was arrested and accused of DUI and leaving the scene of an accident.
Campillo called a press conference on Friday to tell his story in hopes of persuading San Diegans to stop before they drink too much and get behind the wheel on New Year’s Eve.
“This is a plea from a father who was nearly killed,” said Campillo. “It is never safe to drink and drive.”
The councilmember appeared with District Attorney Summer Stephan, City Attorney Mara Elliott and Police Chief David Nisleit at the press conference in Civic Center Plaza.
Stephan said 30 people have died in DUI collisions in San Diego County so far this year, with hundreds more seriously injured. She noted that since COVID there have been more DUI incidents, with the average blood alcohol level rising to 0.18% — more than double the 0.8% legal limit.
She praised Campillo for telling the public what happened to his family because “stories are things people remember, and it might save a life.”
Elliott warned that DUI crashes always spike on New Year’s Eve, but pointed out that they are preventable by simply using another means to get home.
“There is no excuse now,” she said. “There are rideshare companies that will come get you. There is public transportation.”
Campillo is a former city prosecutor, and handled many misdemeanor DUI cases in that role. Now, as a victim, he said the impact of a drunk-driving crash on an innocent family “truly hit home” for him.
“Friends and family have to stand up. Law enforcement is after the fact,” he said.