A federal court on Thursday granted class-action status to a lawsuit filed by teenagers who say they were unlawfully arrested during the chaotic 2023 hill bomb at Dolores Park, paving the way for more than 100 others to potentially join the case against the city and county.
San Francisco, CA
SF judge denies mental health diversion for man accused of 2020 double fatal hit-and-run
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — A San Francisco judge denied mental health diversion for the man at the center of a double fatal hit-and-run in San Francisco nearly five years ago on New Year’s Eve. Troy McAlister is facing vehicular manslaughter charges for the deaths of 27-year-old Hanako Abe and 60-year-old Elizabeth Platt in a SoMa crosswalk. McAlister was on parole and allegedly driving a stolen vehicle at the time. The case was previously instrumental in the recall of former San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin.
Community activists say the judge’s decision is a step in the right direction.
“I think because of all of the community uproar, the media, this is how we got a little bit of victory, the trial will proceed and that the motion for diversion was not granted,” said San Francisco resident Liz Le.
A drug court judge denied McAlister’s attorney’s petition for mental health diversion following a 2020 fatal hit and run.
Saying to McAlister in part, “I think you’ve been accused of making decisions and taking actions with some incredibly bad luck resulting in two people losing their lives. You need to face your community through the criminal justice system and take accountability.”
San Francisco Public Defender seeks diversion in 2020 double fatal hit-and-run case
McAlister’s attorney, Public Defender Scott Grant argued rehabilitation would have better outcomes than traditional incarceration. He also said McAlister had struggled with drugs since he was a teen and described the double fatal hit-and-run as an accident saying McAlister didn’t intend to harm Hanako Abe and Elizabeth Platt when another vehicle pushed the allegedly stolen vehicle he was driving into the two women.
“We’re disappointed in the judge’s decision today but we look forward to continuing to vigorously represent Mr. McAlister,” said Grant.
“When you’re driving 60 miles per hour, you have a history of drugs and alcohol, you ran many red lights, what did you think would happen,” said Le.
The case made international news and was instrumental in the recall of former San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin.
McAlister was on parole at the time he hit and killed Abe and Platt.
“It’s just the failure of our criminal justice system to hold him accountable earlier maybe we could have prevented these two deaths,” said Le.
CA officials say SF DA’s failure to file criminal charges led to deadly hit-and-run on New Year’s Eve
“I feel like today is a huge relief for a lot of people that have been following this case. The judge in this case did the right thing given the defendant’s history,” said Anna Kearney with Stop Crime SF.
McAlister’s attorney says he’s still waiting on a transcript from a grand jury proceeding.
“And once we get that we’ll be filing a motion to dismiss some of the charges in the case,” said Grant.
Grant would not say which charges or if he believes the community’s outrage influenced the judge’s decision.
McAlister is back in court next month to set a date for trial.
In a statement released to ABC7 News, the San Francisco DA’s Office would only confirm what happened Tuesday in court.
Take a look at more stories by the ABC7 News I-Team.
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San Francisco, CA
Ruling advances lawsuit against S.F. over arrests during 2023 Dolores Park hill bomb
Skateboarders ride down Church Street at the annual hill bomb event at Dolores Park in San Francisco on Saturday, July 6, 2024.
The ruling allows approximately 113 people — including 81 minors — who were arrested on 17th Street on July 8, 2023, to join the lawsuit first filed by four teenagers in December 2023. The mass arrests concluded a night of general mayhem, marked by fireworks that sparked fires, vandalization of Muni vehicles and confiscation of several firearms around Dolores Park, according to police.
Within the chaos, innocent teenagers were swept up in detentions, the lawsuit argues. Rachel Lederman, lead counsel for the plaintiffs, called the mass arrest of children and youth an “outrageous round-up” where police arrested young adults without probable cause.
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“Then, the police held the children and youth outdoors and in vehicles for many hours as darkness fell and the night turned cold and windy,” she said in a statement. “SFPD did not provide them access to a bathroom for up to seven hours forcing desperate children to use a bucket in the street handed out by a neighbor.”
Jen Kwart, spokesperson for the city attorney, defended police, saying Friday that officers exercised appropriate crowd control to protect public safety. The city is looking forward to presenting its case in the coming months, she said.
The ruling was first reported by Mission Local.
Over at least the past decade, the informal competition has often sparked conflict with police. The hill bomb has gained notoriety in recent years after the event led to a death, a traumatic head injury and multiple skirmishes with the police. After 2023’s confrontations and arrests, the hill bomb was relatively calm in 2024 as police barricaded Dolores Street but skateboarders bombed down a different one.
This year, the event did not take place, and was instead replaced by a more formal, structured hill bomb at Twin Peaks, a largely peaceful affair.
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Two Muni trains were vandalized during the Dolores Hill Bomb in 2023.
Police were made aware of the 2023 hill bomb three weeks before the event took place, according to the lawsuit. The city sent additional officers to the area and erected barricades on the steepest part of the hill on Dolores Street. The crowd grew to approximately 200 people that night.
Police said that around 7 p.m., a 16-year-old man spat in a sergeant’s face. Police said the officer was assaulted while trying to detain the teenager and suffered lacerations to his face. Police said that during the arrest, the crowd began to throw ignited fireworks, smoke bombs, glass bottles, and metal cans at officers.
Two Muni light-rail vehicles were vandalized with graffiti, and the crowds refused to disperse and began removing barricades police had placed in the area, police said.
Around 8 p.m., after declaring the crowds an unlawful assembly, officers began making mass arrests. Plaintiffs argue they were trying to leave the area when police began corralling them for detention.
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One 15-year-old said in the lawsuit that she was trying to ride a scooter to a friend’s house and was still detained after telling officers she had nothing to do with the hill bomb.
The lawsuit alleges officers gave little information to parents who arrived to pick up their kids. Parents waited on the street for hours, and the last child was released from the Mission Police Station at 4:15 a.m., the lawsuit alleges.
The teens were cited and released for inciting a riot, remaining present at an unlawful assembly and conspiracy, police said.
Police said one minor was sent to the hospital to be treated for intoxication but “there was no other report of injury from the arrests.”
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“This dangerous and unlawful behavior put members of the public and our officers at risk of serious injury or worse,” then-police chief Bill Scott said in a statement at the time. “This behavior will not be tolerated in our city.”
San Francisco, CA
Waymo pledges donation after beloved San Francisco corner store cat struck, killed
Editorial Note: The news report in the video player above was produced on Wednesday, Oct. 29, before KRON4 News received a statement from Waymo.
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Waymo said it plans to make a donation to a local animal rights organization after a beloved corner store cat in San Francisco’s Mission District was struck and killed by one of its driverless cars Monday night.
According to residents, “KitKat” was the neighborhood mascot who brightened customers’ and residents’ days as they passed by Randa’s Market on 16th Street.
“They would deliver KitKat in a box of KitKats and that’s the box that KitKat chose to sleep in and got his name. (It) caught on very well,” said neighbor Sarah Koohnz.
According to a 311 complaint, a Waymo hit the liquor store’s cat that was sitting on the sidewalk next to the transit lane. The complaint says, “the Waymo didn’t even try to stop and hit the cat at a fast speed. The cat has been picked up by neighbors and taken to the emergency vet with hopes of rescue. Unfortunately, KitKat did not survive.”
“The trust and the safety of the communities we serve is our highest priority,” said a Waymo spokesperson in a statement to KRON4 Thursday evening. “We reviewed this, and while our vehicle was stopped to pick up passengers, a nearby cat darted under our vehicle as it was pulling away. We send our deepest sympathies to the cat’s owner and the community who knew and loved him, and we will be making a donation to a local animal rights organization in his honor.”
Community members in San Francisco’s Mission District held a vigil Wednesday that was filled with flowers, candles, and pictures of the popular pet. Many are calling for more safety measures to be put in place. The owner was too distraught to talk on camera.
“I just find it disgusting that Waymo has an action in this,” added Koohnz. “I’ve known multiple people that have been hit by those vehicles, myself included, and I just find it disgusting that that’s the way KitKat went.”
“While I’ve been making space for people to keep bringing offerings, I’ve just gotten stories upon stories about how it was their cat,” said resident Margarita Lara, who works next door. “Two different kids of different ages said they grew up with this cat and they cried. One of them brought her big brother.”
Waymo Co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said during an interview at a TechCrunch Disrupt event in San Francisco that robotaxis are safer than human drivers.
When asked about potential fatalities by robots, she said she thinks society will accept it — and that the company worries not about whether it will happen, but when, and they plan for them.
This comes as Uber announces that the San Francisco Bay Area will be the first market for its specially built autonomous taxi, which is expected to launch in late 2026. But those grieving in the Mission would prefer robotaxis break operations.
“The coolest cat in the world,” added Lara. “One of a kind, the Mayor of 16th Street, and we’re never going to have another pet like this. Loved by all.”
The New York Giants take on a San Francisco 49ers defense this week that has been decimated by injuries to their starting lineup.
The 49ers will be without edge rusher Bryce Huff, their leading pass rusher so far this season, due to an injury.
Rookie Mykel Williams will likely take on a larger role than he’s already played so far. More help will be required from Sam Okuayinonu, Trevis Gipson, and Robert Beal Jr.on the edge.
Outside of Huff, who’s out injured and expected to miss this week’s game, Nick Bosa, who’s out for the season, and Yetur Gross-Matos, who’s questionable for Sunday, this 49ers edge room has been nothing short of underwhelming this year.
The injuries to the top three edge rushers have led to players who are generally quality depth to play significant roles.
As far as pass-rushing goes, there have been few units worse than the 49ers off the edge, and the interior hasn’t been much better.
The interior of the defensive line features heavy rotation depending on the situation, but has not been particularly impressive this year.
Starting defensive tackle Jordan Elliott suffered an injury against the Houston Texans, and his status is still up in the air for this game.
Elliot hasn’t exactly been good this year, but he was the best of a bad bunch for this defensive line that just added Keion White from the New England Patriots in a trade.
It’s unclear how much of a role White will be able to play this week, considering he just joined the defense, but he should provide rushing upside on the interior if he can play.
Alfred Collins, Kalia Davis, and Kevin Givens will make up most of the snaps on the interior, which isn’t a good sign for the 49ers.
The 49ers have also sustained injuries at linebacker, with Fred Warner ruled out for the remainder of the season and starting linebacker Dee Winters leaving the Texans game early and questionable for this Sunday.
Tatum Bethune was the starter who took over for Warner when he got injured, and it’s expected that Curtis Robinson or Luke Gifford will take over for Winters’ snaps.
Just like the defensive front, because of injuries, the 49ers’ linebacker room is significantly worse than it would be if they were healthy.
Bethune can still make an impact due to his athleticism and versatility, but he’s a second-year player finding his place.
In the secondary, Demmodore Lenoir and Renardo Green will be the starters on the outside with Upton Stout in the nickel, and Malik Mustapha and Ji’Ayir Brown at safety.
Defensive back play hasn’t been strong for the 49ers either this year, but a large part of that is having no pass rush in front of them to help.
It doesn’t matter how talented a secondary is; they can only play in coverage for so long before they break down. On film, Lenoir is consistent, and Green has shown flashes, but they’re still being set up to fail.
Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh isn’t a big fan of blitzing often, as the 49ers have one of the lowest blitz rates in the NFL.
Unfortunately, when rushing four, this defense has been completely unable to generate pressure, with a pressure rate of 25.9%, the lowest in the NFL.
Saleh is much more interested in playing bend-don’t-break defense with cover three and variations of quarters before making the shift to cover one robber on third down.
The 49ers will play both cover four in quarters and cover six, the latter being cover four to the strong side and cover two to the weak side.
Cover one robber with man coverage across the board, one safety playing deep coverage over the top, and one safety coming down in an underneath zone.
The Giants’ defense also often plays cover one robber; however, with a respectable pass rush, they can get away with it.
When the 49ers do choose to blitz, it’s mostly been with Winters or Stout, but with Winters out, I expect Bethune to be the blitzer.
When healthy, this 49ers defense is much more respectable, but the simple fact is that they aren’t healthy.
This should be one of the easiest tests of the season for the Giants’ offensive line, and Dart should have more time than just about any other game.
Depending on who’s available and who isn’t, the Giants’ offensive game plan could shift to attack depth players who are playing significant roles.
Look for the Giants to attack this linebacker room with tight ends and running backs, as well as run to the edges against depth.
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