Police chase, fatal crash lead to arrest in S.F.
A suspect wanted for armed robbery in the East Bay led police on a brief chase through San Francisco Saturday evening, culminating in a crash that killed one man and injured several other people, police said Monday.
The alleged driver, 20yearold San Francisco resident Paris Powell, was arrested near the scene of the crash and booked into jail on suspicion of murder and other charges, according to San Francisco police and jail records. The driver of the other vehicle, a 63yearold Bay Point man, died at the scene. Police have not identified the victim.
The pursuit began just after 7:30 p.m. Saturday, when officers witnessed a black Audi A3 linked to an East Bay robbery traveling in the Mission Bay neighborhood, police said. Officers attempted to stop the car but the driver failed to pull over, touching off a chase that continued onto the freeway before returning to city streets in the Ingleside District, where officers lost sight of the vehicle.
At 7:40 p.m., dispatchers began fielding reports of a collision at the intersection of Geneva Avenue and Prague Street, police said. A preliminary investigation determined that the Audi — headed eastbound on Geneva Avenue — ran a red light and smashed into a maroon Toyota minivan traveling north on Prague Street to westbound Geneva Avenue.
Powell allegedly fled the scene on foot but was arrested shortly after the crash. He was treated at a local hospital and later booked on suspicion of homicide, evading a peace officer resulting in death, reckless driving resulting in serious injury, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, child endangerment, hitandrun involving an injury, hitandrun, carrying a concealed firearm, evading a peace officer resulting in bodily injury, and resisting, obstructing or delaying a peace officer.
Two other passengers in the victim’s vehicle, a 57yearold woman from Bay Point and a 35yearold woman whose residence is unknown, were seriously injured and admitted to a local hospital.
Four other teens riding in the Audi were detained and hospitalized. An 18yearold San Francisco man and two Hayward girls, 15 and 16 years old, remained hospitalized Monday, while another 15yearold girl was released into the custody of her parents, police said.
Police on Monday said the investigation remained active and in its early stages. Anyone with information on the case can call the department’s 24hour tip line at 4155754444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with “SFPD.” Tipsters may remain anonymous.