Arrest made in deadly hit-and-run crash in SF's Dogpatch neighborhood

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A suspect has been arrested after a witness said a driver involved in a hit-and-run crash in San Francisco swung an ax at a group of people before hitting them and driving off, sending five people to the hospital Wednesday. One victim died.

"We received a call regarding a vehicle collision that occurred here at Illinois and 24th," said SFPD Public Information Officer Robert Rueca.

Officers responded at 10:25 a.m. Wednesday morning and found five people lying on the sidewalk injured - one critically.

Witnesses say the driver of a white GMC van intentionally ran over the victims and then fled.

VIDEO: 1 killed in San Francisco hit-and-run crash


The witness, who did not want to be identified, said the chain of events started with the driver acting erratically at him.

"He actually banged on his window and yelled some nonsense at me and then threw something at me."

He says the driver got out of his van to pick up the object he threw.

Another witness says five people standing nearby and the driver got into a verbal altercation.

"The guy in the van was just crazy and took it to another level and got out and went after the guys with an ax and they just took off their belts and were lashing at him."

Both witnesses say the group overpowered the driver, taking the ax away from him.

"He got into the van screaming at them, yelling at each other and the guys started to walk away and he flipped the van around and drove it on the sidewalk, full pedal to the metal and drove over four of the five."

Early this afternoon, police stopped a white van with numerous suspicious dents on the front and side.

They arrested the driver, who a reliable police source said was identified as 33 year old Mark Dennis of San Francisco.