An unmarked police car stolen from the Union Square area was involved in a chase with police before the vehicle collided with another car at Mission Street and Duboce Street Thursday evening, police said.
The 36-year-old suspect fled on foot and was apprehended in the area and booked on charges of stealing a vehicle, possession of stolen property and possession of a controlled substance.
Kevin Ortiz, a resident who lives in the area, was a passenger in a rideshare when he was struck by the fleeing vehicle. Within seconds, police were on the scene and emergency responders pried the rideshare driver out of his vehicle, Ortiz said.
"There were tons of cops on the scene within 15 seconds," Ortiz said. "I thought it was a police chase."
Charlie Jones, a witness at the scene, was just arriving at The Crafty Fox Ale House on Mission Street when he saw a black SUV run a red light and crash into the other vehicle. He said he chased after the suspect and waved down the swarm of police cars. Two other witnesses at the scene said that the suspect jumped into a nearby tent to evade officers.
"He got out of the car and he was bleeding, running down the street," Jones said. "I didn't get my drink yet so I ran out the door...Four cop cars came and I signaled them down [Woodward] street."
Officers said they first spotted the stolen vehicle at about 6 p.m. near Market and 9th streets and pursued it, before giving up the chase near Mission and South Van Ness. They then found the stolen vehicle after it collided with another car. The occupants of the other vehicle were brought to a local hospital and did not have life-threatening injuries.
Police said this remains an open and active investigation.