Felon who fled SFPD traffic stop with machine gun remains on bail as key hearing postponed
A gun felon who fled at high speed from an SFPD traffic stop, running red lights and driving into oncoming traffic, who continued to flee after police spike-stripped his tires, who was captured next to where he had hidden his machine gun, and who was then given bail, appeared briefly in court this morning.
Damarea Jones had his scheduled preliminary hearing postponed to 2025.
He earlier pleaded not guilty to five felony and two misdemeanor charges arising from the September 2024 incident. He is not in custody, having been released on an ankle monitor three days after his arrest.
According to court records, on the evening of September 3 2024, SFPD officers assigned to a prostitution abatement detail on Shotwell Street in San Francisco’s Mission district were concerned to see a Buick running a stop sign and driving at high speeds.
Officers stopped behind the vehicle on 20th Street and endeavored to conduct a traffic stop. As they were getting out of their patrol car, the Buick drove off.
Prosecutors say that Jones, later identified as the driver, ran multiple red lights and drove along the opposite side of Folsom Street in an attempt to escape. His efforts to flee continued even after other officers deployed spike strips in an attempt to disable the car.
Jones eventually abandoned the Buick at 26th and Kansas Streets. He himself was found hiding on the porch of a nearby house. A search of a nearby garbage can turned up a Glock semi-automatic pistol equipped with an automatic switch, a loaded drum magazine, three other magazines, and a pair of gloves.
Three days after his arrest he appeared for arraignment before Superior Court Judge Kenneth Wine at San Francisco’s Hall of Justice where he entered not guilty pleas to all charges. The judge ordered his release on condition that he wear a GPS ankle monitor and said he could only leave his home while he was working.
On July 3 2023 Jones was arrested on suspicion of first degree murder by police investigating the deaths of Idriek Patterson and Anteasa Collins in Oakland the previous month. He was released without charge.
On October 17 2023 Jones was convicted in Alameda County after pleading ‘no contest’ to a misdemeanor count of carrying a concealed firearm in a vehicle. He had originally been charged with felony possession of a firearm by a felon.
He has a 2019 conviction for evading police.
Today, after a request from Jones’ attorney, Judge Maria Evangelista ordered him to return to court on February 18 2025 for his preliminary hearing which, as things stand, must be held by March 4 2025.
This story has been updated.
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