Man charged in San Francisco No Kings March hit-and-run collision invoving protester
The driver of a Tesla who drove through protesters blocking his path during last week's "No Kings" march in San Francisco, injuring one protester, has been charged with multiple felonies, authorities said Friday.
In a press release, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said 44-year-old Hauwei Lien was charged with elder abuse, assault, and leaving the scene of a crash.
The incident happened on June 14 during the No Kings March in the city, among the dozens of marches and rallies in the Bay Area, California, and nationwide in protest against the Trump administration. The San Francisco Police Department said the collision happened in the area of Mission and 21st Streets at about 12:24 p.m. Officers found a 69-year-old male victim and a vehicle matching the description provided by witnesses, along with the suspect driver, who was detained at the scene.
The victim was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, police said.
The D.A.'s Office cited court documents as saying that as Lien approached Market Street in his red Tesla Model Y from Laguna Street, he encountered a swell of protesters and began attempting to drive through the protesters to cross Market Street. The victim then put his hands on the hood of Lien's car to try to get him to stop, but Lien allegedly accelerated into the victim and drove across Market Street and south onto Guerrero Street with the victim clutching the hood of the car, the documents said.
Prosecutors allege that Lien then braked suddenly to throw the victim from the hood, and with the victim still holding on but with his feet on the ground, Lien allegedly accelerated and swerved to throw him from the hood, running over his foot. The man suffered two broken toes and also received a large gash across his forehead.
Lien's charges include felony elder abuse with allegations of great bodily injury, felony assault with a deadly weapon with an allegation of great bodily injury, and felony hit and run. He was arraigned on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Lien is currently in custody and is being held without bail. The D.A.'s Office said it moved to have Lien detained because of the public safety risk. A bail review hearing was scheduled for Monday.
Police asked anyone with information about the incident to contact the department at (415) 575-4444 or send a text to TIP411 and begin the message with SFPD.
