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A manhunt is underway in San Francisco as police search for the suspect in an apparent hit-and-run rampage in the Mission and Potrero Hill Wednesday night, a police spokeswoman said.
The driver of a blue Nissan Rogue struck four male bicyclists in six minutes, injuring three, in what San Francisco police Lt. Lyn Tomioka said is being treating as an aggravated assault.
Tomioka said it appears the male driver targeted the bicyclists at four different locations.
“He changed lanes in traffic, he went on the wrong side of the street,” Tomioka said.
“Witnesses said he was driving to try and hit the bicyclists.”
Tomioka said the crashes happened in the 2700 block of Harrison Street, the 2800 block of Harrison Street, at the intersection of 23rd and Pennsylvania streets, and at 17th and Missouri streets.
Police received the initial report of the collision on the 2700 block of Harrison Street at 9:43 p.m., and the next incident followed shortly thereafter as the four-door sedan weaved its way down Harrison, she said.
After the vehicle struck the fourth victim at 17th Street and Missouri Street at 9:49 p.m., the suspect crashed the vehicle into a pole and fled on foot, Tomioka said.
Tomioka said officers are searching the area for the suspect, who is only described as a white male, and for additional witnesses.
A fire dispatcher said emergency crews responded to the collisions at about 9:45 p.m.
Three of the victims had non-life-threatening injuries and were taken to the hospital, she said. A fourth was treated at the scene.
All of the victims are expected to survive, Tomioka said.
Bicycle advocates said they hope this incident will highlight the need for mutual respect from all road users.
“I hope that those responsible will be brought to justice for this horrific and senseless attack,” said Marc Caswell, a program manager with the 11,000-member San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.
“We will continue our work to make the streets of San Francisco a place where everyone feels safe,” Caswell said.
