Elderly Driver Charged After Chinatown Death

San Francisco prosecutors said a 76-year-old driver has been charged after a March 27 crash in Chinatown that killed one pedestrian and injured another. District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said Zhuo Ming Lu was arraigned on May 12 and pleaded not guilty to all charges. Police said the crash happened at about 7:43 a.m. near Grant Avenue and Jackson Street. Investigators said Lu was trying to park when his vehicle struck two pedestrians on the sidewalk and then hit a building. ### Who has been charged, and with what? Brooke Jenkins said on May 13 that Lu was charged with vehicular manslaughter under California Penal Code 192(c)(2). The district attorney’s office said prosecutors also charged him with driving a vehicle in the commission of unlawful acts — specifically driving on the sidewalk and driving at an unsafe speed — without gross negligence. (sfdistrictattorney.org) May 12 was Lu’s arraignment date, according to the district attorney’s office. Prosecutors said he denied the allegations and entered a not guilty plea. ### What do police say happened on Jackson Street? San Francisco police said officers responded on March 27 to the area of Grant Avenue and Jackson Street after reports of a vehicle collision. (sfdistrictattorney.org) Officers found two injured victims, and paramedics took both to a local hospital, police said. Police said one victim died at the hospital despite lifesaving efforts by first responders and medical staff. The second adult victim was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to the district attorney’s office and police. (sanfranciscopolice.org) Patch reported on March 27, citing KRON4, that the crash happened before 8 a.m. in the 600 block of Jackson Street and that an SUV appeared to have struck the exterior of New Lung Ting Café. ### Why did investigators arrest Lu weeks after the crash? April 17 was the date when the San Francisco Police Department’s Traffic Collision Investigation Unit said it developed probable cause to arrest Lu. (sfdistrictattorney.org) Police said he was arrested that day for vehicular manslaughter and for driving at a speed greater than was reasonable. (patch.com) The police statement said Lu remained at the scene after the collision and cooperated with investigators. The case remains open and active, police said. ### What conditions did the court impose after arraignment? The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office said the court released Lu on his own recognizance. (sanfranciscopolice.org) Prosecutors said the judge ordered him not to drive and to surrender his driver’s license and passport. The same court order directed the California Department of Motor Vehicles to suspend Lu’s license if it had not already been suspended, according to the district attorney’s office. ### Where does this case fit in San Francisco’s traffic-death tracking? (sfdistrictattorney.org) San Francisco’s traffic fatality dashboard says the city tracks roadway deaths as part of its Vision Zero program, a road-safety policy aimed at eliminating traffic fatalities. The city says the map includes traffic deaths on San Francisco streets since 2014. (sfdistrictattorney.org) The dashboard does not identify this crash by name in the excerpt available here, but the city says the fatality data is used by agencies to analyze trends and target safety projects. ### What happens next in court? September 30, 2026, is Lu’s next scheduled court date, according to the district attorney’s office. Prosecutors said the hearing is set as a pre-trial appearance in San Francisco Superior Court under court number 26408762. (sf.gov) (sfdistrictattorney.org)