February 24, 2010 San Diego

Last January a driver crashed into a Carls Jr. restaurant and killed a customer who was dining. He was charged yesterday with gross vehicular manslaughter and driving while intoxicated and could face 15 years to life in prison.

The driver of the vehicle was 74 year old Richard Alfred Daus and was arrested Yesterday by the El Cajon police. Harsher sentences are given to people that have had multiple drunk driving convictions.

Daus was convicted back in 1952 in Cook County, Ill., for reckless homicide. He also had a drunk driving conviction in Kenai, Alaska in 1988.

When Daus got into the accident on January 3rd his blood-alcohol level was 0.22 which is almost 3 times over the legal limit of 0.08 percent. The victim who was killed in the crash was 66 year old Randy Eugene Smith. Smith was eating breakfast in a corner booth when Daus crashed into the restaurant with his Honda SUV. Smith was thrown across the restaurant and died before he could be taken to the hospital.

The incident was caught by a surveillance camera at the Union Bank in the same plaza. When the police arrived at the restaurant, Daus was said to be slurring his speech, there was a strong smell of alcohol, and his eyes were red and watery.

Smith was said to be a former college teacher who was working as a self-employed consultant. He had a background in business strategy and management.

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