Car hits bicyclist accused of stealing phone
A bicyclist who stole a cell phone and was pedaling away from his victim was hit by a car Friday morning at an intersection in the South of Market neighborhood of San Francisco, witnesses and police on scene said.
About 9 a.m., a young man on a bicycle tore down Fifth Street heading south while being chased by the mugging victim, who yelled for pedestrians to stop the thief, witnesses said.
The bike rider ran a red light at Fifth and Mission streets and rode directly into the path of a westbound MercedesBenz sedan, police at the scene said. The beige car hit the cyclist with such force he was knocked out of his sneakers and into the air.
Police on scene confirmed the bicyclist was fleeing after stealing a cell phone.
Fire Department employees who had been sitting in nearby traffic immediately went to render aid.
Hind Allami, who was visiting San Francisco from Brentwood for the day with her young son, said she saw a woman in a Tesla pull over and try to help the bicyclist.
“He was screaming on the ground. He was trying to stand up, but I think his leg was broken,” Allami said.
The call reporting the crash to police came in at 9:07 a.m. and was placed by a city employee, according to Officer Robert Rueca, a spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department.
Rueca said officers are investigating reports the incident was triggered by a street robbery but added, “we’re still trying to sort through that information.”
Shortly after he was hit by the car, the bicyclist was writhing in pain and screaming, “I’m so sorry for what I did,” as paramedics treated his injured leg and loaded him into an ambulance.
“Apologize to your God,” mused a passing security guard who overheard him. “God works in mysterious ways.”