Elderly Driver Charged in Fatal SF Crash

San Francisco prosecutors charged 76-year-old Zhuo Ming Lu this week in a fatal Chinatown crash that happened nearly seven weeks earlier, turning a widely witnessed street collision into a criminal case. District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said on May 13 that Lu faces a vehicular manslaughter count after authorities said he struck two pedestrians while trying to park on March 27. Police said one victim later died at a hospital and another suffered injuries that were not life-threatening. Lu pleaded not guilty at his May 12 arraignment, according to the district attorney’s office. ### Who is charged, and what exactly are prosecutors alleging? Zhuo Ming Lu, 76, is charged with vehicular manslaughter under California Penal Code 192(c)(2), the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office said. Prosecutors said the charge is tied to alleged unlawful acts committed without gross negligence. (sfdistrictattorney.org) The district attorney’s office said Lu is also accused of driving on the sidewalk in violation of Vehicle Code 21663 and driving at an unsafe speed in violation of Vehicle Code 22350. Jenkins said in the release that the filing followed a police investigation into the Chinatown collision. (sfdistrictattorney.org) ### What do police and prosecutors say happened in Chinatown that morning? March 27, 2026, at about 7:43 a.m., San Francisco police officers responded to the area of Grant Avenue and Jackson Street for a vehicle collision, according to both police and prosecutors. Officers found two injured victims at the scene, and paramedics took them to a local hospital. (sfdistrictattorney.org) Police said their preliminary investigation found that the driver was attempting to park when the vehicle hit two pedestrians on the sidewalk and then struck a building. Patch, citing KRON4 reporting from the day of the crash, said the collision happened in the 600 block of Jackson Street and images from the scene showed an SUV lodged against New Lung Ting Café. (sfdistrictattorney.org) One victim was declared dead at the hospital despite what the district attorney’s office described as lifesaving efforts by first responders and medical staff. Another adult victim was treated for injuries that were not considered life-threatening, prosecutors said. (sfdistrictattorney.org) ### Why did charges come weeks after the crash? April 17, 2026, was the date San Francisco police announced they had arrested the driver in the fatal collision. The district attorney’s office announced the criminal charge on May 13 and said Lu had already been arraigned a day earlier, on May 12. The district attorney’s office said the case remains an active investigation even though charges have been filed. (sfdistrictattorney.org) That means the public account could still be supplemented by additional court filings, police disclosures or witness information. (sanfranciscopolice.org) ### What conditions did the court impose after arraignment? May 12 was Lu’s arraignment date, and he pleaded not guilty to all charges and denied the allegations, the district attorney’s office said. The court released him on his own recognizance, meaning he was not held in custody while the case proceeds. (sfdistrictattorney.org) The court also ordered Lu not to drive and to surrender his driver’s license and passport, according to the release. Prosecutors said the judge further ordered the California Department of Motor Vehicles to suspend his license if that had not already happened. (sfdistrictattorney.org) ### Where does the case go from here? September 30, 2026, is Lu’s next court date for a pre-trial hearing, according to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office. The office listed the case as court number 26408762. San Francisco police said the investigation is still open and asked anyone with information to contact the department’s tip line or send a text tip. (sfdistrictattorney.org) Any further details about the collision, the victims or the prosecution are likely to emerge through that investigation and future court proceedings.