The San Francisco district attorney’s office will not yet file charges against the pair arrested on suspicion of carjacking a white Lincoln and driving it over the Sanchez Street staircase over the weekend before crashing into several trees on the way down to the sidewalk, where the sedan landed wheels-up.
On Friday, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said in a statement that Kevin Nelson, 36, and Jennifer Bonham, 31, would not face charges for carjacking, possession of a stolen car, and conspiracy, “pending further investigation and witness availability.”
The charges may be filed at a later date.
Nelson and Bonham were arrested late Tuesday afternoon without incident, police said, after an investigation by the San Francisco Police Department’s robbery unit. SFPD did not detail how investigators located the pair, but the two were allegedly caught on video — along with three others — exiting the crashed Lincoln and fleeing the scene.
Nelson was initially taken to the hospital as a result of injuries sustained from the crash, police said, but jail logs showed he was booked into jail on Thursday, July 27, and remained there as recently as 2:40 p.m. Friday afternoon. Bonham was initially booked into custody but has since been released, booking logs show.
Video of the crash showed a sensational series of events: The white Lincoln sped through a barricade at the dead-end of Sanchez Street and drove off the two-story staircase, crashing into several trees in the mini-park, flipping over in mid-air, and slamming into the sidewalk below, crushing another tree.
Passers-by helped pry open the car’s doors for the occupants to exit. Two of the five people who eventually clambered out of the vehicle immediately fled the scene, dashing up the staircase.
The other three walked away moments before a fire engine arrived on scene. It is unclear if, or where, Nelson and Bonham appear in the video, but audio captured seems to show one of the occupants speaking to Nelson.
“Come on, Kevin. I’m sorry, I love you, come on,” says a woman’s voice, as pedestrians surround the vehicle and attempt to call 911. “Kevin please, I’m sorry, everybody. Kevin, come on, we’ve gotta go.”
An eyewitness told Mission Local that, just two minutes before the crash, the group of five stole the while Lincoln from a man near 20th and Church streets. One member of the group hit the car’s owner with a skateboard, the eyewitness said, before getting in the car and speeding off.
Impeach Chesa!
Oh wait …
Anything goes in Crooke Jenkins’ San Francisco. These Keystone Cops are the gang who can’t shoot straight, to invoke Arthur Evans. Just this week, SFPD summarily executed someone facing psych challenges, just killed another person in the Bayview today, ignored a cyclist injured by a rent-an-e-scooter and could not make a case in the Sanchez stair bomber. Did I forget any other cases where overpaid SFPD failed this week?
Well I don’t see that the cops actually did anything wrong here, looks like the DA just didn’t want to bother with prosecution. Remember, they defunded the police, police left, retired, and it’s hard to find anyone who wants to be a cop in San Fran these days. Add in the shoplifters, car snatch and grabs and the car thieves just being let go by the DA so they’re back on the streets doing the same thing before dinner if the cops arrest them so crime is skyrocketing. Their just aren’t enough cops to go to all the crimes. To be honest I’m impressed they got there that quick, 911 calls go to hold before you even can get to a person, and then the cops are all busy so who knows when or if they can even get to your emergency.
Are you fucking kidding me. What more could the DA’s office possibly need? Kevin’s name matches the video, there is a picture of the two of them (plus an unknown third) circulated online clearly showing them and they are beat to shit like they were recently in an intense car crash at the time of their arrest. Seriously wondering where any potential doubt could be from the DA’s office could be. Letting these losers out is just putting the public right back in danger.
The carjacking victim must not be able to finger those two and the DA must be lacking other on the record witnesses. You can’t make out faces on the video and that photo doesn’t cut it without a corroborating witness.
Took them in hoping they’d confess, but not their first rodeo and they didn’t crack.
WTF?!? You can assault a driver, carjack his vehicle, damage public property, leave the scene of an accident, get arrested, spend a few days recovering at SF General on the public dime, and the DA won’t press charges or make you pay for your crimes. What message does this send? No wonder criminals act with impunity in SF.
In the photos afterward, the girl has distinctive tattoos on her arm and one guy has tattoo on his neck. Seems straightforward to ID them.
Joe, do you have info on why the charges were dropped, and if the other 3 thief’s were caught & arrested?
I thought Brooke Jenkins was supposed to be prosecuting crime, that’s what most law-abiding San Franciscans want.
To any medical folks out there: all 5 thieves walked / ran away but would they all not have serious head injuries from this?
Ohhh wowww the haters are going to have a field day with this one. They will rip Jenkins to shreds and will be calling for Chesa Boudin to return to the DA office.
Of course! We expect nothing less in SF!
Catch & Release in crime-ridden Democrat SF. Disgraceful!