14-year-old boy suspected of setting fire to SF Chinatown robotaxi
13 days ago
San Francisco police have identified a 14-year-old boy suspected of setting fire to an autonomous vehicle during Lunar New Year celebrations in Chinatown in February.
Key points:
- Charges have been filed against the teenager, whose name was not disclosed due to his age.
Catch up:
- The Waymo robotaxi was operating autonomously and had just completed a drop-off when it was vandalized at the intersection of Jackson Street and Grant Avenue just before 9 p.m. on Feb. 10.
- The unattended driverless vehicle was set ablaze with fireworks. Videos posted on social media showed vandals breaking into the car’s windows and tagging it with graffiti.
- The vehicle, a Jaguar I-Pace crossover owned by Google’s Alphabet, was eventually extinguished. There were no reported injuries.
The details:
- Arson investigators identified the suspect, and a search warrant was served on his residence on March 27, resulting in the seizure of evidence linking him to the crime.
- The city’s Juvenile Probation Department will reportedly determine whether the minor will be arrested or appear in court out of custody.
- Police reported that the car was surrounded by 10 to 15 people during the incident, but no other arrests have been made in connection to the vandalism.
- The case remains open, with police refraining from disclosing additional suspects.
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