Police investigating intentional fatal hit-and-run
in Mission District

Verbal altercation preceded hit-and-run police say

By Brent Begin, Bay City News Service

March 20, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - San Francisco police homicide detectives spent the morning investigating a fatal hit-and-run collision sparked by a verbal altercation between a driver and a pedestrian in the Mission district early this morning, police said.

One man has been arrested for allegedly running down the pedestrian three times on the sidewalk and fleeing the scene, according to police.

Police Sgt. Neville Gittens said the altercation began around 2 a.m. when two pedestrians crossing the street near the intersection of 15th and Valencia streets got into a verbal fight.

The suspect, who was reportedly driving a red Toyota, got out of his car to argue with the two pedestrians. At some point, Gittens said, one of the pedestrians punched the Toyota.

The man then got back in his car and drove back and forth on Valencia Street, making a few U-turns, Gittens said.

He then drove back toward the two, hopping a curb onto the sidewalk. One of the pedestrians, whose name and sex has not been revealed, was killed.

Witnesses gave police a description of the vehicle and some nearby members of the Police Department's gang task force arrested a suspect.

At 11 a.m. today, homicide Inspectors Michael Philpott and Michael Gaynor were interviewing the suspect, and his name has not been released yet.

Copyright © 2007 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

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