SAN DIEGO – A memorial service was held Sunday in remembrance of three homeless men who were killed last month when a car driven by a DUI suspect hopped a curb and crashed into a sidewalk encampment in San Diego’s East Village.
Nine transients were struck shortly after 9 a.m. March 15 by a Volvo station wagon in the 1500 block of B Street near San Diego City College. The crash killed Randy Ferris, 65, Walter Jones, 61, and 40-year-old Rodney Diffendal.
Five other victims were taken to area hospitals and treated for severe to moderately serious injuries. A ninth person was treated for injuries at the scene. All victims were adults.
Multiple faith leaders from around San Diego County spoke during Sunday’s service and a performance was held by Voices of Our City Choir.
“As a person of faith, I believe we are all God’s beloved regardless of our poverty, our suffering, our vulnerability,” the event’s coordinator Rosemary Johnston said. “Each of us is precious in God’s eyes and we are all members of the human family.
“Every death is a loss, so I thought it was very important to honor their lives and grieve their death and to celebrate the gifts that they were.”
Craig Martin Voss, 71, was arrested at the scene of the crash. He faces three counts of felony vehicular manslaughter, five felony counts of causing great bodily harm while committing a felony and one count of driving under the influence of drugs, according to police.
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