Cops Claim Suspect Threw Molotov Cocktail From Car During Chase

Photo: Smith Collection/Gado (Getty Images)

We’ve all, at some point in our lives, dreamed of playing a real-life Mario Kart. Racing through winding roads, jockeying for position with competitors, tossing powerups fore and aft. Of course, we don’t have Fire Flowers in real life, but one San Francisco driver has allegedly found a suitable substitute: A Molotov cocktail.

2023 Kia EV6 GT | Jalopnik Reviews

San Francisco police claim to have responded to a call about an assault at a church last night, according to the San Francisco Standard, though no assault apparently took place. Instead, police chased a driver from the church, who allegedly began to lob incendiary devices from his car.

Cops claim the driver set off a pipe bomb before switching to a Molotov cocktail. After those, the driver took off on the highway. The suspect was arrested by California state police in another county, but SFPD remain concerned about more explosives. From the San Francisco Standard:

People reported hearing loud explosions on social media Sunday evening and officers had taped off the block between Jones and Pacific Streets by the time a reporter for The Standard had arrived on scene around 7:15 p.m. An officer on the scene declined to comment. Police also taped off the area around Mission and Eighth streets.

Bobby Diaz, a guest at the BEI Hotel on Eighth Street south of Market, heard a blast as he was on the phone.

“I was looking out the window,” he said. “I heard what sounded like a boom. It kind of sounded like someone crashed into the hotel.”

Diaz said police responded almost immediately, with approximately 10 squad cars responding. “It was an impactful boom,” he said. “It was very loud.”

Police haven’t reported any injuries or damage from any explosions, nor have any more details come out about the alleged assault at the church that kicked this whole adventure off. Still, if you’re walking around SF and happen to find yourself within eyeshot of a suspicious-looking pipe, maybe turn and walk the other way. They’re a lot more dangerous than your average Fire Flower.