Update: Charges against 2 suspects in San Francisco carjacking, Sanchez stairs crash discharged
SAN FRANCISCO -- The charges against two suspects in last weekend's carjacking that led to the spectacular crash at the Sanchez Street steps were discharged Friday pending further investigation, according to the San Francisco District Attorney's Office.
The announcement comes two days after San Francisco police confirmed the arrest of the two suspects -- identified as 36-year-old Kevin Nelson and 31-year-old Jennifer Bonham, both of San Francisco -- in connection with a carjacking and subsequent crash that saw a car plummet from the hill.
Officers found the suspects on the 1400 block of Pine Street shortly before 6 p.m. Tuesday and arrested them without incident.
Both were arrested on suspicion of carjacking, receiving a stolen vehicle and conspiracy. Bonham was additionally arrested on suspicion of reckless driving.
"The charges against Ms. Bonham and Mr. Nelson have been discharged at this time pending further investigation and witness unavailability," the statement from the San Francisco District Attorney's Office read.
CBS SF initially reported in error that the charges had been dismissed outright. The two suspects have been released from custody according to San Francisco jail records.
San Francisco police have not provided an update on the other suspects who were inside the car and fled the scene after the crash.
The crash happened near 19th and Sanchez streets on Saturday evening shortly after 7 p.m. Video shows the vehicle hitting the railing and plunging into the street below.
A neighbor described the scene to KPIX.
"There was a woman pulling out a guy, all bloody, and the guy had a full face mask, all black, dressed in black. She was in black, red hair, yelling at them, 'We have three minutes till the cops come! We have three minutes, hurry up!'" said Michael Perez who lives nearby. "There was another guy and there was another guy still stuck in the car and they were, like, 'Just leave him! Leave him!"
UPDATE: Witnesses say bottles of alcohol, a gun found after spectacular San Francisco crash
Perez was among several neighbors who rushed over to help the crashed vehicle's occupants. A witness of the crash snapped a photo purportedly showing three suspects who emerged from a vehicle.
"We saw what was going on. There was bottles of alcohol pouring out of their car and they were all bloodied and you could tell they were up to no good," Perez said. "They were vandals. You could tell by the way they were dressed, spilling out of their car. They didn't want our help. She said, 'Don't touch me!'"
Giorgi Kvirkvia was working on a car by his garage when he heard the noise. He also rushed over to the scene and he spoke to a man who said he had just been carjacked.
"According to him, they basically kicked him out of his car -- a couple of minutes before -- somewhere down the block," he said. "He kind of fought them and, in the end, they hit him in the head, I think, with a gun. That's what he said. When they were fighting his shirt got torn and I saw that his shirt was torn."
Anyone with information is asked to call the San Francisco Police Department Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444 or Text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD. You may remain anonymous.
