4 days ago
Man charged with vandalizing multiple Waymo robotaxis in San Francisco
A man was charged Thursday with vandalizing multiple Waymo robotaxis in San Francisco's South of Market area in recent weeks, following previous felony vandalism convictions, prosecutors said.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said in a press release that 45-year-old Walter Reed Quinn is charged with three counts of vandalism resulting in more than $400 damage and one count resulting in less than $400 damage.
According to the criminal complaint, Quinn has at least one prior vandalism conviction, and the crimes were committed while he was released on his own recognizance or on bail in other pending felony cases, including one that also involved damaging a Waymo vehicle.
The complaint alleges that on July 4, Quinn dove onto the hood of a Waymo vehicle on Howard Street between 8th and 9th Streets and placed a cone on the vehicle's sensors of the vehicle. Quinn also allegedly damaged the tires and driver-side mirror of another Waymo on July 29 near 6th and Mission Streets, and 30 minutes later damaged the top sensor and windshield wiper of another Waymo in the same area, according to the complaint.
On Monday, Quinn allegedly walked onto the hood of a Waymo at 5th and Harrison Streets that had a passenger inside, stomping and damaging it, and also stomped on the windshield, caving it in and damaging the windshield wipers, the complaint said.
Police asked anyone with information about the incidents to call the department's tip line at 415-575-4444 or send a text to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD.
