Deadly crash in San Francisco Chinatown renews scrutiny of driving laws, pedestrian safety

By Kenny Choi

A man killed in a crash in San Francisco’s Chinatown has been identified as 49-year-old Cutberto Zamora-Martinez of San Joaquin County, according to the medical examiner’s office.

The deadly incident happened Friday morning near Jackson Street and Grant Avenue, when police say a 76-year-old driver attempting to park lost control, jumped the curb, struck two pedestrians, and crashed into the New Lun Ting Cafe. 

Zamora-Martinez later died at the hospital, while a second victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The crash is now prompting renewed concerns about pedestrian safety in one of the city’s most crowded neighborhoods. 

Community members and city leaders say the combination of narrow streets, heavy foot traffic and frequent parking maneuvers can create dangerous conditions.

“People walking here are really aware of the light changes, and they can anticipate when cars will stop for them,” said San Francisco resident Cassie Zhang, who often walks through Chinatown with elderly relatives.

Others say drivers, regardless of age, need to exercise extra caution when navigating the busy corridors.

“When they come to Chinatown and this community, they have to be really careful,” said Peter Lo of the Chinatown Merchants United Association.

Still, the driver’s age is raising broader policy questions, as some residents are calling for stricter testing requirements for older drivers, including more frequent vision and driving evaluations.

“If at a certain age, maybe you should be retested for your license,” said Keith Hong, who works nearby.

District 3 Supervisor Danny Sauter says California may need to revisit how it evaluates drivers during license renewals, noting other states have adopted stricter standards.

“I think we need to have more scrutiny at the DMV when we think about renewing licenses,” Sauter said. “We don’t know if that’s the case here, but there have been a number of high-profile cases and certainly a trend.”

In response to the crash, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency says it has begun “daylighting” the intersection to improve visibility between drivers and pedestrians. That often means red-zoning certain parking spots near intersections. 

“We always have constrained funding, but that is why the High Injury Network is so important,” said SFMTA Streets Director Viktoriya Wise. “It allows us to put our limited funding where it’s most needed.”

The intersection of Jackson and Grant is part of that High Injury Network, a map showing that just 13% of San Francisco streets account for 74% of the city’s most severe crashes.

For many in Chinatown, the tragedy underscores the risks pedestrians face daily — even those who are vigilant.

“They know when to expect cars to stop for them,” Zhang said.

San Francisco police say the driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with the investigation. Authorities say drugs and alcohol do not appear to be factors in the crash.