5 PM: San Francisco police continue to search for the driver who critically injured a Cal Fire firefighter by intentionally striking him with a vehicle in the city’s Richmond District early Thanksgiving morning.
Albert Bartal, 29, who has served four years of active duty as a Marine in Iraq, got into a fight with another man at a restaurant near 11th Avenue and Geary Boulevard around 3:45 a.m. Thursday, police and Cal Fire officials said.
The men were separated and both left the restaurant. While Bartal walked to a gas station at Ninth Avenue and Geary Boulevard, the suspect got into his car, described as a black Mazda CX-type SUV, with 12-spoke sport rims and possible front-end damage, drove to the gas station and ran him down, according to police.
Bartal, who remains hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, has worked for the past five years as a seasonal firefighter at Cal Fire’s Saratoga Summit Fire Station in Santa Cruz County, fire Capt. Jonathan Cox said.
Seasonal firefighters generally work for six to nine months each year, and the most recent fire season had ended earlier this month, Cox said.
Investigators have released photos and a surveillance video of the suspect taken inside the restaurant. The suspect, described as a mixed-race or Latino man, between 18 and 24 years old, with short black hair and a manicured beard, had not been found as of this afternoon, police spokesman Officer Albie Esparza said.
Anyone with information about the identity or whereabouts of the suspect is encouraged to call the Police Department’s anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411.
San Francisco police today also announced that a relief fund has been set up for Bartal. People may make donations to account No. 1379608 at the San Francisco Police Credit Union at 2550 Irving St., CA 94122.
7:21 AM: San Francisco police have released a video showing a suspect in an alleged attempted murder in which a man was deliberately run down.
The victim in the case, a Marine who recently returned from Iraq and firefighter who works for Cal Fire, got into a physical fight with another man at a restaurant at 11th Avenue and Geary Boulevard Thursday around 2:45 a.m., according to police.
They were separated and both the suspect and victim left the restaurant.
The victim walked to a gas station at Ninth Avenue and Geary Boulevard and the suspect got into his car.
Police said the suspect drove into the gas station, intentionally struck the victim and drove away.
The victim suffered life-threatening injuries from the crash, according to police.
Police have released pictures of the suspect that were taken by witnesses in the restaurant at the time of the fight. The suspect was described as a mixed-race or Latino man, between 18 and 24 years old, with short black hair and a manicured beard.
His car was described as a black Mazda CX-type SUV, with 12-spoke sport rims and possible front-end damage.
Anyone with information regarding the suspect or the crash is asked to call the Police Department’s anonymous tip line at (415) 575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411.
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