Car break-in suspect beat ’12 murder case

A San Francisco car break-in suspect who was run over by his alleged accomplice last week while grappling with a police officer near Alamo Square was arrested more than five years ago in connection with a killing in the Mission District, records show.

The suspect, 23-yearold Adrian Landers, was accused of murdering 20-year-old Jesus Solis on Sept. 16, 2012, but a jury could not reach a verdict, leading to a mistrial. Landers, who was 18 at the time of the slaying, pleaded guilty to gun possession and accessory to murder after the fact in June 2014.

Landers now faces charges of second-degree burglary, possession of burglary tools and conspiracy linked to Thursday’s video-recorded incident in which he and two other men were allegedly interrupted by plainclothes officers while breaking into a Toyota RAV4 amid an epidemic of vehicle break-ins in the city.

One officer struggled with Landers and was also run over by the would-be getaway driver, officials said. Landers remains in the hospital and is expected to be arraigned with the two other men on Wednesday. The injured officer is expected to recover.

Landers was arrested in the 2012 case after police found Solis shot on the 1200 block of Treat Avenue. A second suspect, then-20-year-old Dylan Lemalie, later turned himself in and was also charged with murder. The jury hung on murder charges against both Landers and Lemalie, who ultimately pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and is serving prison time, records show.

Landers was on probation in the case when he and his two accomplices set out to break into cars last week, authorities said. The footage of the incident showed two men wearing hooded sweatshirts dart out of the back of a black Infiniti sedan.

Police said Landers and 19-year-old Jamon Butler used a “window punch” to break into the RAV4 near Hayes and Pierce streets while 25year-old Devonta Lofton waited behind the wheel of the car.

Police officers who were patrolling for people breaking into cars spotted the men and closed in. Butler allegedly jumped into the Infiniti as an officer tackled Landers behind it.

That’s when Lofton reversed over the officer and Landers before driving over them again as he sped forward, police said. Lofton crashed eight blocks away, police said, and was taken into custody along with Butler.

Lofton faces charges including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, assault on an officer and burglary. Butler was charged with second-degree burglary, possession of burglary tools and conspiracy.