A violent collision Sunday evening on Sixth Street between Bryant and Harrison streets in SF involved seven cars, and left one person and a dog dead. The suspect vehicle that may have caused the crash is also linked to a hit-and-run incident minutes earlier on I-280.
The crash happened around 6:10 pm Sunday, and a black Tesla appears to have approached a line of cars stopped in traffic at a high rate of speed, including a Waymo, colliding with one and causing a chain reaction. As KRON4 reports, seven vehicles were involved and there were eight total victims reported, with one victim killed, and two transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. A dog was also killed in one of the vehicles.
One of the vehicles involved was an unoccupied Waymo, and it sustained heavy damage. A video posted to the Citizen app shows the crash scene, which occurred outside the EndUp nightclub on Sixth Street.
A statement issued by Waymo gives the clearest description so far as to how the crash transpired: "An unoccupied Waymo vehicle operating autonomously was in a line of stand-still traffic when it was struck from behind by a vehicle that was impacted by another vehicle traveling at an extreme rate of speed."
"There was some considerable energy in this collision," said a spokesperson for the San Francisco Fire Department. This was evidenced by many car parts littered across the street and the number of cars damaged.
Authorities have not said whether they believe drugs or alcohol were a factor in the collision, but this is being investigated.
The black Tesla that may have caused the crash, pictured by the Chronicle here, appears to also have been linked to a hit-and-run involving four vehicles on I-280 which occurred at roughly 6:09 pm, just one minute before the Sixth Street crash. As Bay City News reports, the I-280 incident caused only minor injuries. The CHP is investigating that crash.
The Tesla driver was being treated for injuries at SF General, but San Francisco police have reportedly detained them in connection with the two crash incidents.
"I have been briefed on the multi-vehicle incident that occurred downtown this evening,” Mayor Daniel Lurie said in a statement Sunday night. “It is a tragedy to lose someone on our streets, and our thoughts are with all those affected and their families. We hope those injured will make a full recovery.”
Anyone with information about this collision is asked to call the SFPD tip line at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411, beginning the message with “SFPD.”
Top image via Citizen app
