76-Year-Old Driver Charged in Fatal SF Crash

San Francisco prosecutors charged a 76-year-old driver after a March 27 crash in Chinatown that killed one pedestrian and injured another, according to the district attorney’s office. Brooke Jenkins, the San Francisco district attorney, said on May 13 that Zhuo Ming Lu was charged in connection with the collision near Grant Avenue and Jackson Street. Police said Lu was trying to park when his vehicle went onto the sidewalk, struck two pedestrians and then hit a building. Lu was arraigned on May 12 and pleaded not guilty to all charges, the district attorney’s office said. ### Who was charged, and with what offense? Zhuo Ming Lu, 76, was charged with vehicular manslaughter under California Penal Code 192(c)(2), the district attorney’s office said. Prosecutors said the charge alleges he was driving while committing unlawful acts — driving on the sidewalk and driving at an unsafe speed — but without gross negligence. (sfdistrictattorney.org) May 12 was Lu’s arraignment date, and he denied the allegations, according to the district attorney’s statement. The court released him on his own recognizance and ordered that he not drive, surrender his driver’s license and passport, and face a license suspension through the Department of Motor Vehicles if that had not already happened, prosecutors said. (sfdistrictattorney.org) ### What do police say happened in Chinatown that morning? March 27 at about 7:43 a.m. is when San Francisco police said officers were called to Grant Avenue and Jackson Street for a vehicle collision. Officers found two injured victims, and paramedics took both to a hospital, according to police. (sfdistrictattorney.org) San Francisco police said one victim died at the hospital despite lifesaving efforts by first responders and medical staff. Another adult victim was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, police said. A preliminary investigation found that the driver was attempting to park when the vehicle struck two pedestrians on the sidewalk and then crashed into a building, police said. (sfdistrictattorney.org) Police said Lu remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. ### When did the case move from crash investigation to criminal case? April 17 was the date San Francisco police said investigators developed probable cause to arrest Lu. The Police Department’s Traffic Collision Investigation Unit led the inquiry and arrested him for vehicular manslaughter and for driving at a speed greater than was reasonable, according to the police statement. (sfdistrictattorney.org) May 13 was the date Jenkins announced the filed charge, nearly seven weeks after the crash and almost four weeks after the arrest described by police. The district attorney’s office said the investigation remains active even though charges have now been filed. (sanfranciscopolice.org) ### What is known about the victims? San Francisco authorities did not identify the pedestrian who died in the district attorney and police statements reviewed for this report. The public statements said only that one victim was declared dead at the hospital and that the second injured person was an adult treated for non-life-threatening injuries. (sfdistrictattorney.org) The crash site was in Chinatown, at the intersection of Grant Avenue and Jackson Street, an area with heavy foot traffic. The official statements released by police and prosecutors did not provide additional details on the victims’ ages or hometowns. (sfdistrictattorney.org) ### What happens next in court? September 30, 2026, is Lu’s next scheduled court date for a pre-trial hearing, according to the district attorney’s office. The case is listed under court number 26408762 in the prosecutor’s announcement. (sfdistrictattorney.org) San Francisco police said anyone with information can contact the department’s tip line or send a text tip, and prosecutors said the investigation remains open. The next public milestone in the case is the September 30 hearing in San Francisco Superior Court, where Lu is scheduled to return. (sfdistrictattorney.org)