SAN DIEGO, California – A man accused of driving under the influence and leaving the scene after fatally striking a pedestrian in University Heights has been ordered to stand trial on murder charges. Brandon Allen Janik, 37, was arrested months after allegedly running a red light and hitting 47-year-old Joshua Gilliland as he crossed the intersection of Normal Street and El Cajon and Park boulevards.
Gilliland, a bartender at Cheers on Adams Avenue, was on his way to work when he was hit and later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital on June 14, 2023. Prosecutors were able to bring murder charges against Janik due to his previous DUI conviction in San Diego County from 2016.
During a preliminary hearing, police witnesses testified that surveillance footage captured a BMW running the red light and striking Gilliland, who was crossing legally. Witnesses reported seeing a driver asleep at the wheel of a BMW on University Avenue that same night.
Witnesses also testified that Janik, who appeared intoxicated, was helped out of his car on University Avenue and mentioned his prior DUI. After the group left, Janik allegedly returned to his car and drove off, eventually hitting Gilliland.
A witness provided police with the BMW’s license plate number, which matched a car loaned to Janik by a local dealership while his personal car was being repaired. Janik claimed to have damaged the car by hitting a fence post, but investigators found the damage inconsistent with that explanation.
Investigators discovered that Janik had visited bars and purchased alcoholic beverages on the day of the collision. Cell phone data placed Janik at the scene of the fatal collision at the time it occurred, further implicating him in the incident. Janik’s trial on murder charges is set to continue as more evidence is presented in court.