Six Injured After San Francisco Parklet Crash
In February of 2025, a vehicle crashed into a San Francisco parklet on Super Bowl Sunday, injuring at least seven people. This comes just weeks after a speeding Tesla rear-ended a Waymo vehicle in San Francisco, causing a similar number of injuries, one death, and one pet fatality. While there were questions about the role of driverless technology in that accident, this recent crash is clearly the result of human negligence. With so many “mass-casualty” crashes occurring so often in San Francisco, the public is asking serious questions about road safety. Is it even safe to walk or drive at night in this city? What can you do if you were injured in a San Francisco car accident?
Driver Was Fleeing From the Police When it Crashed into Parklet
In February of 2025, authorities in San Francisco confirmed that a driver was fleeing from the police when they crashed into a parklet outside a popular bar. For those who do not know, a “parklet” is a type of sidewalk extension that provides more space for outdoor dining or drinking. Although these areas can be enjoyable for San Francisco residents, they are also extremely vulnerable to passing vehicles – especially those driven by reckless and intoxicated motorists.
In this case, the person behind the wheel barreled into the parklet, causing two critical injuries. Four additional victims suffered “moderate” injuries according to first responders. Everyone is expected to survive, but there is no word on the exact nature of these injuries – or whether anyone has suffered a permanent disability. This is certainly a possibility, especially when one considers the high-speed nature of the collision. These bar patrons were completely unprotected from the approaching vehicle.
Police say that the chase began when the driver tried to flee from the scene of a burglary about seven miles away. The authorities then pursued the suspect through traffic, train tracks, and highways before they started crashing into objects and other vehicles. At this point, the suspect started driving the wrong way before crashing into the parklet. The driver and their passenger tried to flee after the collision but were quickly apprehended by officers. Witnesses reported that one of the vehicle’s wheels was missing, and that one of the remaining wheels was on fire.
Witness Raise Questions Over Police Safety
Although the individual who caused the crash has a history of leading police on dangerous chases, some witnesses believe that the crash might have been avoided with a more safety-conscious approach by the pursuing officers. One noted that there were multiple police vehicles pursuing the suspect through a heavily populated area. A local government representative suggested that the pursuit might have been a policy violation, since police are not supposed to trigger pursuits for nonviolent crimes. She stated: “It’s worth asking whether this is worth sending six people to the hospital.”
In response to these inquiries, a representative from the San Francisco Police Department stated: “I am concerned for the safety of our community and want to ensure that the San Francisco Police Department is doing all that it can to avoid such an incident in the future.”
The overall sentiment among many locals seems to be one of frustration. Some believe that the police should have called off the chase, especially since it went on for seven full miles before the catastrophic accident occurred.
This is Not the First Time a Car Has Collided Into a Parklet on This Street
This particular area of San Francisco has seen parklet collisions before. One local says that this same bar was damaged after a car crashed into its parklet during an automotive show. In January of this year, another vehicle collided with a different bar – causing two injuries. Other affected establishments in this area include various plant stores and grocery stores. One has to wonder why the city is not installing bollards and other protective barriers to shield patrons from these incidents in the future.
Can a San Francisco Car Accident Lawyer Help Me?
If you were injured by a negligent driver, you deserve the right to discuss your legal options with a professional. An experienced car accident lawyer in San Francisco may be able to help you determine the most effective pathway to compensation. You can use your compensation to cover unpaid hospital bills, the cost of missed work, emotional distress, and other damages. These multi-injury crashes in San Francisco need to stop – and you could play a role in promoting public safety. To discuss the possibility of legal action, contact our team at Mary Alexander & Associates today.
