COSTA MESA : Drunk Driver Jailed Pending Sentence

A drunk driver who pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter for a crash that killed two people and left seven others injured last year was taken into custody Wednesday after completion of a supervised alcohol abuse program.

Superior Court Judge Myron S. Brown in Santa Ana postponed sentencing for Brian A. Klamm, 28, until Aug. 19, but ordered him held in Orange County Jail until then. The court had freed Klamm on $25,000 bail so he could attend the RAP Home Detention Treatment program.

Klamm, who had been driving with a suspended license and without insurance, he had two prior convictions for drunk driving when he was arrested for the July 17, 1990, crash in Costa Mesa that killed Air Force Master Sgt. Roger G. Olmsted, 45, and his sister-in-law, Susan St. Clair of Costa Mesa. Despite postponing sentencing, the judge did permit statements from Olmsted’s widow and son-in-law because they had flown in from Texas. They asked the judge to consider a maximum sentence of eight years and four months.

Olmsted and his wife and two daughters had been living in Germany, but were in Costa Mesa for his father-in-law’s funeral. The family had just left a restaurant when the crash occurred.

Klamm, whose blood-alcohol level was 0.11%, above the legal limit, was driving at speeds reported at 70 m.p.h. when his car went out of control, veering into one car before crashing broadside into the Olmsted car.

Brown said he was postponing sentencing to allow time for a pre-sentence report.