A 28-year-old man has been charged with felony vehicular manslaughter and multiple DUI offenses after he struck a pedestrian who was lying in a SoMa intersection on Tuesday, dragging her body for a block.
The deadly crash occurred just after 5 a.m. on May 27 at 10th and Folsom streets in SoMa, as reported by SFist. Prosecutors say as Manuel Diaz-Chi passed through the intersection, he was reportedly following too closely behind other vehicles and accelerating around them, and unable to slow down before hitting a woman in the intersection, according to the Chronicle.
The woman, who has not yet been identified, was found pinned under the van and pronounced dead at a local hospital. An earlier report from ABC7 says the woman was lying down in the intersection before being hit.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, Diaz-Chi showed signs of intoxication at the scene. As KPIX reports, officers allegedly discovered beer bottles in his vehicle. Though he refused field sobriety tests, he consented to a breath test at 8 a.m. that revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.16%—twice the legal limit. Prosecutors said Diaz-Chi had been drinking throughout the night leading up to the crash.
Diaz-Chi has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, DUI causing injury, and having a BAC of 0.15% or higher. Prosecutors also allege he inflicted great bodily injury, which could enhance sentencing if convicted. At his arraignment on Thursday, prosecutors requested that Diaz-Chi be held in custody pending trial. The court instead set bail at $80,000. A bail review hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.
Image: Rawf8/Getty Images
Previously: Pedestrian Struck and Killed By Vehicle In SF's SoMa District
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