Man Sentenced to Jail for Fatally Striking Elderly Canadian Couple in San Diego

SAN DIEGO—A man who fatally struck a married couple near Liberty Station with his SUV last year was sentenced March 3 to six months in county jail, plus two years of probation.

Kevin William Thomer, 36 pleaded guilty for two counts of vehicular murder with gross negligence in the deaths of Jerome Zimmer (71) and Madelyn Zimmer (69) on Jan. 19, 2022.

San Diego Harbor Police reported that Thomer was speeding along North Harbor Drive at 6 p.m. on that day. He struck the Zimmers and they died at the scene. The pair were not crossing the street when they were struck. Authorities say that alcohol and drugs did not contribute to the crash.

Paige Woodward, the Deputy District Attorney, said that Thomer was involved, just prior to the fatalities. She was in a road-rage dispute with another driver. Thomer then drove down Harbor Boulevard at 75 mph, in a 40 mph zone.

Thomer was sentenced to a year by the prosecutor. He drove that road regularly from his office to get there and should have been aware the dense pedestrian traffic.

San Diego Superior court Judge Daniel Goldstein said to victims’ relatives that he had encouraged them to come up with a compromise in the case.

He stated that Thomer was a bad person. “was the main cause of this horrific homicide,” He said that he did not believe the case could be tried, even though jurors might consider the fact that the Zimmers were jaywalking. “in a very hazardous area” It was dark at the time.

Thomer was first arrested last March. He has been out of custody since, being held in $50,000 bail. On Monday, he was required to surrender to start his custodial sentence.