Woman fleeing police injures 6 in Tenderloin, SoMa hit-and-run spree

Woman fleeing police injures 6 in Tenderloin, SoMa hit-and-run spreeScreenshot: Courtesy of SFPD
Allie Pape
Published on May 30, 2019

A 25-year-old woman driving a stolen car was arrested yesterday after striking and injuring six different people in successive hit-and-run incidents around the Tenderloin and SoMa. One of the people, a pedestrian, sustained life-threatening injuries. 

According to police, the spree of hit-and-run incidents began around 1:56 p.m. at Eddy and Leavenworth streets, when police spotted a silver Kia SUV whose license plate corresponded with that of a car that had been reported stolen. They followed the vehicle east on Eddy Street, where it stopped in front of the Tenderloin police station. 

But as officers approached the car on foot, the driver attempted to get away, driving onto the sidewalk and striking a pedestrian.

Repeatedly reversing and accelerating, she then struck multiple vehicles, including an unmarked police car, and almost collided with a group of police officers. The incident was captured on security video: 

Security video of the driver trying to escape police outside Tenderloin Station. | Video: Courtesy of SFPD

From there, the driver fled east down Eddy Street, striking another pedestrian in the crosswalk at Taylor Street, who sustained life-threatening injuries. She then continued to Fifth and Market streets, colliding with two more vehicles and injuring two more of their occupants.

The suspect then veered the wrong way down Clara Street, colliding with two more vehicles at the intersections of Fifth and Sixth streets before coming to a stop at Sixth and Clara streets, where she was taken into custody. Two more people, one from each vehicle, sustained minor injuries, as did the driver herself. 

Police did not disclose the identity of the driver, nor of the victims. They also declined to comment on whether the driver was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. 

According to the Chronicle, the first pedestrian to be struck by the driver was a Tenderloin Community Benefit District (TLCBD) worker who was doing graffiti removal. He has already been released from the hospital.

The second pedestrian remains in critical condition. None of the vehicle occupants who were struck were hospitalized for their injuries.