SAN DIEGO, Calif. — A man has been sentenced to a decade in state prison after a brutal attack on a pregnant woman at a drive-thru ATM in a San Diego neighborhood. The incident, which occurred on June 15, 2024, left the victim with serious physical injuries and long-term emotional scars.
Cole Klemke, 29, was sentenced on August 11 after pleading guilty to attempted murder. The attack was described by authorities as random, with no established connection between Klemke and the victim, who was 25 and four months pregnant at the time of the assault. Despite her severe injuries to the face, neck, and shoulder, she was able to return home from the hospital on the same day.
In a statement delivered remotely at Klemke’s sentencing, the victim recounted the traumatic experience. She explained how she initially tried to apply pressure to her wounds after returning to her car, overwhelmed by the extent of her injuries. Two years later, she continues to cope with the physical and emotional ramifications, including persistent nerve damage and a heightened sense of fear when in public.
The violence unfolded around 10 a.m. near the Target shopping center on Mira Mesa Boulevard. As the woman approached the ATM, Klemke was observed watching her from a distance before attacking her from behind. Witness reports indicated that she was struck multiple times and fell to the ground, with Klemke continuing to assault her before she managed to fight him off and he fled the scene. Bystanders intervened to help, and she was transported to the hospital with injuries that, while serious, were initially labeled as non-life-threatening by the police.
Investigators quickly determined that there was no prior relationship between the assailant and the victim, and Klemke did not attempt to rob her during the assault. Surveillance footage revealed that she appeared oblivious to Klemke’s approach, and authorities did not speculate about his motive before or after his arrest.
After the attack, police worked swiftly to track down Klemke, using surveillance images from nearby locations after tips from community members facilitated his identification. He was arrested the day following the assault and initially faced charges including attempted murder, robbery, and mayhem. Klemke’s not-guilty plea was later followed by a guilty plea to the attempted murder charge, which resolved the case without a trial.
The timeline of the attack was further complicated by prior allegations against Klemke in connection to a separate incident earlier that month, involving vandalism and threats directed at another individual. Prosecutors stated that the District Attorney’s office had been reviewing these earlier claims when Klemke committed the ATM assault, but those allegations were not directly linked to the attack on the pregnant woman.
At the sentencing, the victim emphasized the ongoing impact of the assault on her and her family, which she described as far-reaching and multi-dimensional. While she expressed gratitude for her survival, she conveyed the heavy weight of living with permanent scars and emotional distress that has altered her life significantly since the attack.
Klemke, now incarcerated, continues to serve his 10-year sentence. The circumstances surrounding his attack remain unclear, as law enforcement has not disclosed any potential motivations for his actions. The profound effects of that single moment, as recounted by the victim, underlie the tragic legacy of this violent incident.