by Rob Nagle
Anthony Wisner, the man accused of stealing a minivan that collided with a taxicab, injuring six others, including himself, will be back in court for arraignment this morning, according to the District Attorney’s Office. Wisner, 25, was allegedly behind the wheel of a stolen minivan with a female passenger about 10:18 p.m. Monday in the Tenderloin when police attempted to pull him over for a traffic infraction. Instead of pulling over, the minivan reportedly fled about two blocks, running a red light at Post and Jones streets and crashing into a taxicab. Both vehicles went onto the sidewalk, striking a bicyclist and a pedestrian. The bicyclist sustained serious injuries in the accident.
The cab driver, his passenger and the passenger in the minivan sustained only minor injuries for which they were treated at a hospital.
The passenger in the stolen minivan had to be extricated by emergency responders and is not facing any charges because of her cooperation with authorities, police said.
Wisner reportedly fled the scene of the accident by jumping onto an outbound 38-Geary Muni bus line, where he was found and arrested by police. He also sustained minor injuries in the crash. He faces six felony hit-and-run charges, two felony reckless driving counts, one felony charge of unlawful taking of a vehicle, one felony count of falsifying or forging registration and a misdemeanor charge of driving with a suspended license, Assistant District Attorney Alex Bastian said.
Wisner is in custody on no bail status, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
He is scheduled to return to court at 9:30 a.m., Bastian said.
NOT GUILTY PLEA IN VEHICLE THEFT
Tyrell Duncan, the 21-year-old man accused of stealing a construction vehicle from a Lower Haight work site and going on a wild ride where he smashed into several cars throughout a small part of The City, was in court for arraignment on Friday where he entered a not guilty plea, Assistant District Attorney Alex Bastian said.
Duncan faces three felony counts and five misdemeanors that include felony unlawful taking of a vehicle, felony evading arrest, felony assault, three misdemeanor counts of hit-and-run, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and a misdemeanor charge of being an unlicensed driver, Bastian said.
Duncan is accused of stealing the construction vehicle about 10 a.m. Wednesday at Haight and Laguna streets, and while smashing several vehicles along the way, made it to the intersection of South Van Ness Avenue and Mission Street, where he reportedly smashed cars in a car wash parking lot.
Police began following the vehicle as it made its way toward City Hall, where Tenderloin station firefighters pulled out one of their vehicles to block the suspect in one spot.
Firefighters subdued the driver after he abandoned the vehicle and he was arrested.
Duncan pleaded not guilty to the charges Friday, Bastian said, and he will return to court Aug. 14 for a prehearing conference. He is still in custody on $200,100 bail, according to the Sheriff’s Office.