A robbery parolee found with a shotgun and narcotics during a Civic Center traffic stop, where he ran from police and was arrested at gunpoint, will go to trial after a preliminary hearing concluded today.
Kevin Jones, 39, appeared in Department 11 of San Francisco Superior Court.
The court heard that SFPD officers on routine patrol had attempted to pull over a white Buick Regal on the evening of August 1 2023 having spotted that its registration tag was defaced. The driver refused to stop when directed and sped away at high speed along Golden Gate Avenue only to be caught in gridlocked traffic. Police left their patrol car and ran to intercept the suspect vehicle on foot.
While the driver, Michael Tercero, instigated a brawl with two officers, Jones took the opportunity to exit from the passenger side of the car and run away along Van Ness Avenue.
Jones was eventually captured by other officers who found methamphetamine on his person and a loaded short-barreled shotgun, along with a bag of shotgun shells, on the car’s passenger side floor.
The gun had an unfired cartridge in the chamber.
Attorneys for Jones were unsuccessful in a bid to suppress the evidence uncovered during the police searches. Prosecutors argued that officers had reasonable suspicion to detain both defendants because of the vehicle code violations, conducted a lawful search of Jones after his arrest, and were entitled to then conduct an inventory search of the vehicle.
Jones’ co-defendant, Michael Tercero, failed to appear in court today to answer charges of threatening and evading police, leading to a bench warrant being issued. Tercero was convicted in 2010 of carrying a concealed firearm while an active participant in a criminal street gang.
Judge Michael Rhoads held Jones to answer on six counts relating to his unlawful possession of a loaded firearm and ammunition. A seventh count was dismissed.
Granting a motion to detain by prosecutors, Rhodes ordered the defendant to be held “no bail” noting that, in any event, “he has a sixteen month term coming” for the parole violation.
Jones will next appear in Department 22 on October 17 at 9:00am for instruction and arraignment.
The case continues.
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