Chaos ensued on Super Bowl yesterday as six people were hospitalized when a police-chased vehicle plowed into a parklet in San Francisco's Mission District. The KTVU report notes the incident began around 3:05 p.m. near Stonestown Galleria, where San Francisco Police Department officers tried to stop a wanted Audi Q7. Despite their efforts, the vehicle escaped, initiating a high-speed chase to the bustling area of 24th and South Van Ness avenues.
At the corner of 24th Street and South Van Ness Avenue, the fleeing suspects lost control, crashing into the Napper Tandy's parklet, where several bystanders, including a mother and child, suffered injuries. Sources informed Mission Local that following the crash, the vehicle occupants fled, prompting a foot pursuit by police officers, leading to two women being arrested. The San Francisco Fire Department initially described two of the injuries as critical, but the police later amended their severity to non-life-threatening.
District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder, present at the scene, questioned the chase's justification to KTVU, especially in light of the recent voter approval that allows SFPD to conduct chases under broader circumstances. "If it was something less than an imminent threat to someone’s life, I think it’s worth asking if it’s worth it sending six people to the hospital," Fielder said.
The San Francisco Police's statement added that the chase began after a response to a burglary in progress, but the suspects escaped during an attempted traffic stop. The pursuit spanned several city blocks and damaged property, including a light pole and the parklet infrastructure. Cleanup efforts began shortly after, with officials urging the public to avoid the affected area.
Statement on 24th and S. Van Ness incident: On 2/9/25 at approximately 3:05pm officers responded to Buckingham and Winston regarding a wanted vehicle. The suspects fled from the officers who attempted a traffic stop. The suspect vehicle failed to yield and a vehicle pursuit…
— San Francisco Police (@SFPD) February 10, 2025
