Previously: Cyclist Who Struck Pedestrian To Be Charged With Misdemeanor Vehicular Manslaughter
A spokeswoman for the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office today defended the timing of charges filed against a bicyclist for fatally striking a pedestrian in July.
Police and prosecutors said Randolph Ang was riding his bike at about 8:30 a.m. on July 15 when he ran a red light at the intersection of Mission Street and The Embarcadero and struck Dionette Cherney, 68.
Cherney was taken to San Francisco General Hospital where she died Aug. 11.
Ang was charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter on Nov. 10, two days after Election Day when District Attorney George Gascon was elected to his first full term in the position.
District attorney’s office spokeswoman Stephanie Ong Stillman defended the office from allegations in media reports that Gascon had waited to file charges because of political motivations.
Stillman said prosecutors had to wait to file charges until they received the final medical examiner’s report on the collision, which came on Nov. 9. Charges were filed the next day.
“We can’t file charges until we have all the information in a complete package,” she said.
“Obviously we take seriously any cases where there are injuries or a fatality, but it was premature to file the case until we got the medical examiner’s report,” she said.
Ang is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges on Nov. 23.
Dan McMenamin, Bay City News
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