Chaotic scene in SF's Mission District after car slams into pedestrians, bus passengers

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Police were called to Mission St. and 23rd after reports of a car hitting several people at about 4:20 pm Wednesday.

Police say video surveillance shows the driver of a burgundy Prius traveling westbound on 23rd, clipping a MUNI bus traveling northbound on Mission. That's when the car is believed to have hit a passenger getting off the bus and grazing a second passenger, then hitting a man crossing a sidewalk.

Two people were sent to the hospital in critical condition. Both are from San Francisco, one is 49 years old, the other is 34.

"Somehow this driver of this burgundy Prius accelerated at a high speed making contact with the bus and injuring a passenger that was in the crosswalk basically sandwiching the person," said Sgt. Frank Harrell. "The bus stopped after being clipped, two passengers tried to disembark. The first passenger that stepped off the bus was immediately impacted by the suspect vehicle that was fleeing."

One man who works in the area saw the impact.

"I see when that happened in the corner, I feel really bad because I don't know if that guy is dead or no," said Miguel Garcia.

Police say the driver left the scene for about five minutes before returning.

The driver was in an ambulance to get a medical evaluation and also took what appeared to be a field sobriety test.

The Prius passenger also remained on scene but she was not being investigated. Police say alcohol may have been a factor.

"I don't know what his degree of sobriety is right now, we will conduct further investigation to determine that," said Harrell.