Hit-and-run horror on streets of San Francisco

Deutsche Presse Agentur
Published: Tuesday August 29, 2006

San Francisco- One person was killed and 13 injured Tuesday afternoon by a driver who raced around San Francisco allegedly trying to run down pedestrians, police said. The driver, identified as Omeed Aziz Popal, 29, was arrested on suspicion of committing at least four hit-and-run attacks, but there was no immediate indication as to his motive.

Police said that Popal was probably the culprit of another fatal hit-and-run Tuesday morning in Fremont, California, just east of San Francisco.

Seven of the injured were in critical condition, police and firefighters said.

"It was like 'Death Race 2000,'" firefighter Danny Bright told the San Francisco Chronicle. "Guys were walking down the sidewalk and the guy just came up and ran them over. The guy went crazy."

"It's one of the craziest things I've seen in my years on the force," said San Francisco police Sergeant Neville Gittens. "This individual was driving around the city mowing people down."

© 2006 DPA - Deutsche Presse-Agenteur