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Charges dropped against man who crashed into Cambria bakery

July 1, 2020

Jeremy Ian Preston

The criminal case against a man who crashed his truck into a Cambria bakery, injuring five customers, has been dismissed following the submission of evidence that the defendant had been experiencing a medical emergency at the time of the collision. [Tribune]

Jermey Ian Preston, 43, had been facing charges of reckless driving causing injury and DUI causing injury, both of which were felonies. He also faced potential enhancements to those charges.

In Feb. 2017,  Preston was driving his Chevrolet truck on Main Street when he ran a stop sign at Burton Drive and hit a parked truck. Preston continued driving and then crashed into a parked Mercedes propelling both his truck and the Mercedes into The French Corner Bakery.

Inside the bakery, one customer suffered major injuries while four other customers sustained minor injuries. Preston suffered a broken foot, and officers arrested Preston for driving under the influence.

On Tuesday, a SLO County prosecutor submitted a motion to dismiss all charges in the case. Judge Jess Marino granted the motion, and the case was dismissed.

Preston’s attorney, Ilan Funke-Bilu, said his client was not driving impaired, but rather suffered a medical emergency prior to the crash. Funke-Bilu said Preston has suffered from a serious medical condition.

A CHP officer testified that, following the crash, he interviewed a dazed Preston, who said he had taken a sleep aid, anti-seizure medication and an anti-depressant just prior to the collision. The officer also testified Preston told him he had two other black-out episodes while driving, which occurred shortly before the bakery collision.

In Nov. 2018, Preston was arrested for assaulting his then-9-year-old daughter in Cambria. The girl’s mother said Preston was heavily intoxicated earlier in the day when he got into an argument with his daughter.

Preston allegedly picked up a sweatshirt and swung it a the girl’s head three to five times. The zipper on the sweatshirt injured the girl and caused her head to bleed profusely.

San Luis Obispo County deputies found Preston at his home and arrested him for inflicting corporal injury upon a child.


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If he was a senior citizen, his license would be permanently taken away. Instead he gets a pass to continue this reckless behavior. Without a criminal conviction, it will be hard to sue him and recover anything. Sad story for his current (and future?) victims.


0

There is a lot of room for questions in this story. A follow up story would be nice and might include more details about the case. It seems very unlikely that the outcome was justice for all the people involved. The story names the defense attorney, but not the judge and how did he come to the conclusion that it was medically unavoidable?


1

“Judge Jess Marino granted the motion, and the case was dismissed.”


1

Prestons doctor is at fault here also .The doctor is required to submit a form to Ca. DMV to have his driving privileges suspended till he can prove and a doctor submits a 2nd form stating patients medical conditions are no longer present.I never heard of anybody loaded on pills and with prior alcohol charges walking on a accident like this .Did the doctor have connections and help Preston to help himself ??


4

How is this NOT a DUI? So you are telling me you can high on pills….sleeping pills, anti seizure, anti-depressants, crash and hurt people, and NOT get charged?? He was high as a kite! BAD precedence for what is and what is not a DUI . This is NOT a medical issue. A”Medical issue” is, having a stroke or a heart attack, NOT got loaded on pills. This was 100% preventable. There are warning labels on pills, telling you NOT to drive until you know how they effect you right? What Judge let this one fly? I am just dumbfounded.

Hopefully he at least lost his drivers license? Please tell me he won’t be driving again.


18

You can get a DUI on a bicycle. I will reclaim my throne as the King of California shortly.


5

Maybe he was just going to the legal pot shop. JUST? Our laws are getting…… are already so messed up.


-6

I don’t understand how he cannot be criminally culpable. If he had prior blackout episodes then he had knowledge he was a danger to others and still drove. Just goes to show you how high the burden of proof is.


15

If that medical condition is an ongoing and persistent one, then I hope his driving license was suspended. Also, one could still consider it to involve a level of recklessness to take whatever combination of medications he took and then drive on public roads.. and to continue to drive after, “two other blackout episodes … shortly before the bakery collision.” … just sayin.


btw, his photo reminds me of Tom Segura.


19

All that can be said is: 1. WOW!!!, and 2. Get Funky to defend you if in a criminal case.


19

But he can still be sued and he will be.


16

You can sue all you want but if the person being sued has nothing you are out of luck. Feel bad for injured people and he still should of been prosecuted as he knew he had a problem and drove anyway. Sort of like a alcoholic knows he is impaired all the time but drives anyway. Should never had a license but I bet he will still drive with or without one.


16

Hopefully he had insurance that can pay out.


6