Chris Bucchere, the cyclist convicted of felony vehicular manslaughter, at a recent court date. Photo: SF Gate
In a first of its kind case the cyclists who mowed down a man crossing Castro Street at Market last March has pleaded guilty to felony vehicular manslaughter.
As we posted previously on March 29., 2012, Chris Bucchere, 37, ran a red light on his bike while speeding, south, downhill on Castro Street, mowing down Sutchi Hui, 71, mortally injuring him as he crossed the busy Castro and Market Street intersection with his wife around 8AM.
Bucchere wrote about the accident on an online cycling forum, Mission Cycling AM Riders Google, before Hui died of his injuries four days after the crash. He penned he was "way too committed to stop" and "laid it down and just plowed through the crowded cross walk in the least-populated place I could find." He also bemoaned the loss of a prized bicycle helmet who he eulogized and said he owed his life to. The callousness of his comments threw gasoline on an already outrageous situation turning it nuclear as people lashed out on the web and blogosphere calling for his head on a platter and reigniting the smouldering debate regarding unsafe SF bicyclists roaming City streets versus pedestrians.
During the prelim trial Nathan Pollak, testified that he had seen Bucchere blow through several red lights just prior to the accident. Another witness says Bucchere was going "incredibly fast" through the intersection, and traffic video showed him making no effort to "lay it down" as he claimed.
The victim, 71-year-old Sutchi Hui-San Bruno resident, father and grandfather. Photo: Screen shot
In a plea agreement reached with San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon's office Mr. Bucchere who now resides in Marin won't be doing any jail time for the Mr. Hui's death, Instead he'll be required to perform 1,000 hours of community service. The judge in the case also has the option of reducing the charge from a felony to a misdemeanor after six months if he keeps his nose clean and buckles down serving the community.
This is not exactly the legal smack down many were hoping for in regards to City cyclists riding responsibility or reminding them of their duty to obey the laws of the land or much of a stern statement on public safety. It is however what the family of the victim wanted. They reached out to the DA's office via Mr. Hui's son who said that jail time for Mr. Bucchere, a first time offender, wouldn't do anything to really help the community.
This is the second conviction of in bike rider vs. human since 2011 and both have ended without any jail time.
-SFist-SF Gate
