San Francisco police have found out who they think is a 14-year-old boy responsible for setting fire to a driverless car during Lunar New Year festivities in February in Chinatown.
Key points:
- Charges have been filed against the teenager, whose name was not disclosed due to his age.
Catch up:
- The Waymo robotaxi was operating independently and had just finished dropping off passengers when it was damaged at the corner of Jackson Street and Grant Avenue just before 9 p.m. on Feb. 10.
- The unattended driverless vehicle was set on fire with fireworks. Videos posted on social media showed vandals breaking into the car’s windows and marking it with graffiti.
- The vehicle, a Jaguar I-Pace crossover owned by Google’s Alphabet, was eventually put out. There were no reported injuries.
THIS JUST IN: In #SanFrancisco ‘s Chinatown, a mob waylaid a Waymo Robotaxi (autonomous vehicle) and destroyed it with firecrackers Saturday night.
Now, if I were AI, I might get the feeling that humans don’t think you’re particularly welcome on those streets. Just sayin’… pic.twitter.com/WvzuQ1Hroj
— (@grescoe) February 11, 2024
The details:
- Arson investigators identified the suspect, and a search warrant was served on his residence on March 27, resulting in the seizure of evidence linking him to the crime.
- The city’s Juvenile Probation Department will reportedly determine whether the minor will be arrested or appear in court out of custody.
- Police reported that the car was surrounded by 10 to 15 people during the incident, but no other arrests have been made in connection to the vandalism.
- The case remains open, with police refraining from disclosing additional suspects.
