Gun felon on bail for gun possession injures Muni driver as car goes airborne at end of SFPD chase – prosecutors
A gun felon on bail for gun offenses, accused of leading police on a high-speed chase across San Francisco that ended in a spectacular collision with a bus and other vehicles, will appear in court today.
Prosecutors say Jonte Stewart, 35, stole a Honda Crosstour from the city’s Lower Haight district on the evening of April 16, after its owner unwisely left the keys in the ignition while in a store.
Within half an hour SFPD had tracked down the car and began a pursuit – in which the driver ran red lights, swerved between lanes and drove into oncoming traffic.
The chase terminated on John Muir Drive to the west of Lake Merced when, according to court documents, Stewart drove directly into a parked Muni bus. That impact sent the Honda into the air and crashing into two other parked cars.
The Muni driver suffered a broken wrist.
“The defendant’s actions demonstrate a significant and ongoing danger to public safety,” wrote assistant district attorney Rebecca Warren in a motion to detain.
“He caused serious injury to an innocent civilian and extensive property damage to multiple vehicles,” she added.
Stewart was on the streets at the time of the incident having been bailed by Judge Kenneth Wine in a 2024 gun possession case.
That case stemmed from a 2024 arrest in which police, responding to a juvenile girl’s accusation that Stewart had made improper advances toward her while he was half-naked and grabbing his penis, found a .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol in his waistband as they handcuffed him.
Stewart has been convicted of gun possession, in 2016, making threats, in 2018, and drug dealing in 2013.
Stewart, who earlier pleaded not guilty to felony reckless driving, joyriding and vehicle theft charges, will appear at San Francisco Hall of Justice today for a hearing on his eligibility for a diversion program.
He maintains his not guilty pleas to four felony firearms charges from the 2024 incident.
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