Driver in Comic Con Zombie Walk Crash to Face Charges

Matthew Pocci said he feared for his family's safety

The deaf man whose car struck a pedestrian during a zombie walk near Comic Con last July will face a charge of felony reckless driving resulting in serious injuries.

The San Diego District Attorney’s Office announced the charge against Matthew O. Pocci Jr. in a letter on Monday. The letter was obtained by NBC 7 on Wednesday.

Pocci will be arraigned on March 9.

Passersby were hit by while the annual Comic-Con Zombie Walk took over downtown San Diego on July 26.

Police said at the time that a deaf family with small children in the black Honda Accord was stopped near 2nd and Island avenues just after 5:30 p.m., waiting for participants of the Zombie Walk to cross.

After several minutes the 48-year-old father Pocci slowly rolled forward, trying to get out of the area.

According to the SDPD, several people from the crowd of zombies allegedly surrounded the car and began punching it. Police said the car windshield was shattered by the crowd.

In an interview with another news website, Pocci said his family became frightened so he plowed through the crowd to "save my family."  As he drove, he struck a 64-year-old woman with the side of his car.

The woman was taken to a hospital for an injury to her arm. Two others sustained minor injuries. Witnesses to the crash say Pocci floored his car and his tires squealed seconds before impact.

At the time of the incident, Pocci was not cited or arrested.

"Seven months later. This is not a complicated situation. It's caught on videotape," said attorney Dan Gilleon, who is representing Pocci. "I mean, charges should have been filed -- if there was a real crime they would have filed charges within days normally."

Pocci later filed a claim against the San Diego Police Department and its Chief Shelley Zimmerman, saying the organizers did not file a permit for the event. He claimed the "SDPD caused and created a confusing and misleading situation for motorists."

"It turned into a crime to try and shield the embarrassment and liablity of the city because Chief Zimmerman is down there letting them do this unpermitted parade. The permit process would have required traffic control," said Gilleon.

The SDPD has not commented on Pocci's claim.

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