VISTA — A man accused of throwing a punch to the head that killed another man outside of an Oceanside bar last week pleaded not guilty Sept. 29 to the charge of murder.
Bruce Erwin Hamil, 35, was located and arrested one block from the scene of Hosie’s Pacific Pub on South Coast Highway shortly before 7 p.m. Sept. 26, after police were dispatched to investigate the report of an assault, according to Lt. Leonard Mata of the Oceanside Police Department.
The assault happened outside of the pub, following an argument, Mata said.
The victim, 53-year-old William Hoyle, was transported to Scripps Memorial Hospital after Hamil allegedly punched him in the face and the man hit the ground and lost consciousness.
Hoyle was pronounced dead two days later.
Jodi Breton, district attorney, said in court that Hamil has a prior strike against him.
According to court documents, Hamil has a prior arrest from 1998 for an assault with a deadly weapon charge for which he was ordered six months in jail and three years felony probation.
“I’m leaving bail at $1 million,” said Superior Court Judge Marshall Hockett in the Vista courtroom during Hamil’s arraignment.
An Oct. 13 preliminary hearing was set for Hamil to appear in court again, when it will be determined if the case has enough evidence to proceed to trial.
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