Chris Bucchere, the cyclist who "plowed through" a crosswalk at Castro and Market, striking a 71-year-old pedestrian who later died from his injuries, was sentenced today in a San Francisco Superior Court. According to the terms of the plea deal Bucchere made last month, he will serve three years of probation and 1,000 hours of community service for the felony vehicular manslaughter charge. By pleading out, Bucchere avoided a jury trial and the possibility of jail time.
On March 29 2012, Bucchere was racing back from a ride to the Marin Headlands on his bike when he struck 71-year-old Sutchi Hui as walked across the street with his wife. Hui's head hit the pavement and he spent four days in the hospital before he succumbed to his injuries.
District Attorney George Gascon sought the higher felony conviction because Bucchere was seen speeding through multiple stop signs before entering the busy Castro and Market intersection after the light had turned red. Shortly after the incident Bucchere dedicated a post on a cycling message board to the helmet he lost and claimed he had been "way too committed to stop."
During today's sentencing, Hui's daughter, Terry Hui, told Bucchere: "Please don't squander the second chance you have to become a good and compassionate person ... not to be the narcissistic person you were when you wrote the insensitive web posting about my father."
There is the possibility that Bucchere's conviction will be reduced to a misdemeanor in six months, if a judge decides he is abiding by the terms of his probation.
Previously: All prior coverage of the Bucchere case on SFist.
[Chron]