SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco prosecutors said they would file felony vehicular manslaughter charges against a bicyclist who allegedly hit and killed a pedestrian, in a case that has become a flash point for debate over bicyclists' rights in the city.
The manslaughter charges -- unusually stiff for a bicycle accident -- stem from a March 29 incident, when 36-year-old bicyclist Chris Bucchere allegedly ran a red traffic light and plowed into 71-year-old Sutchi Hui in a crosswalk. Hui died on April 2 of injuries related to the collision, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.
An arrest warrant was issued Wednesday for Bucchere, who will be arraigned early next week, said San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon, adding that the manslaughter charges are unusual for an incident that would usually be treated as a misdemeanor.
"I'm hoping this case serves to raise awareness that rules of the road apply to everyone," Gascon said in a news conference Thursday.
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