San Francisco e-scooter rider who allegedly fled police, struck elderly woman charged

By CBS Bay Area

A man accused of striking an elderly woman with an e-scooter while fleeing San Francisco police Monday evening has been charged with multiple felonies, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced Thursday.

According to court documents, around 8:26 p.m., police said they saw a man riding an electric scooter on the north sidewalk of Ellis Street towards Jones Street, west of Union Square.

An officer recognized the man as Melthon Branch, 35, and knew that he had an outstanding U.S. Marshals Service warrant for his arrest, police said. The officer turned on his lights and sirens to conduct a traffic stop and used the car’s public address system to order Branch to stop.

Authorities claim that Branch ignored the officer’s orders and fled – riding his scooter on the sidewalk where pedestrians were walking and into traffic in the street.

People walking had to move out of Branch’s way to avoid being struck by him as he weaved in and out of the street and sidewalks, police said. Allegedly, he also drove his scooter the wrong way for several streets, running through multiple traffic signals along the way.

Branch had traveled about four blocks east into Union Square when, as he was riding northbound on the west sidewalk of Powell Street approaching O’Farrell Street, he drove onto the sidewalk and hit a 72-year-old woman with the scooter, police said.

The impact threw both Branch and the woman to the ground. Authorities said the elderly victim sustained a fractured elbow and a broken wrist, which required surgery.

After the crash, police said Branch immediately stood up and ran away, towards the 200 block of O’Farrell Street, where he dove under a table where restaurant customers were eating. He was ultimately taken into custody by San Francisco Police.

Following his arrest, police said they seized suspected methamphetamine, over $2,000 in cash, narcotics paraphernalia, a digital scale, unused packaging including Ziploc baggies, and three credit cards with other people’s names on them.

The District Attorney’s Office said it will move to have Branch held in custody without bail as he awaits trial, citing a risk to public safety.

Branch is charged with evading an officer causing serious bodily injury, leaving the scene of an accident, with an allegation that he personally inflicted great bodily injury on the victim, and elder abuse, with an allegation that he personally inflicted great bodily injury on the victim and that he personally used a deadly weapon.

He has also been charged with assault with a deadly weapon, battery with serious bodily injury, evading an officer against traffic, and possession for sale of methamphetamine.

Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to call the San Francisco Police Department Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444 or text TIP411, beginning the text message with SFPD.