A beloved California aunt who helped send several of her nieces and nephews to college died Monday after a crazed homeless man pushed her onto a moving train, police reports said.

The 74-year-old woman was on the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) platform at San Francisco's Powell Street Station when suspect Trevor Belmont allegedly pushed her into an oncoming train shortly after 11 p.m., BART police said.

The victim, identified by the coroner as Corazon Dandan, hit his head on the train and fell to the platform.

Corazon Dandan, 74, was killed Monday night when a homeless man allegedly pushed her onto a moving BART train. Family photo

She was taken to San Francisco General Hospital, where she later died, traffic police said.

Dandan, of San Mateo County, was on her way home from her job as a telephone operator at the Parc 55 hotel when she was killed, her nephew told the San Francisco Standard.

Alvin Dandan, a St. Louis doctor, said his aunt took the BART to work and back home every day and revealed his cousins ​​recently warned her against using the BART late at night.

Corazon, who was divorced and never had children, continued to work well past the usual retirement age even though she did not need the income, he said.

“She just loved working and being around younger people,” Alvin told the local news publication.

She also loved her many nieces and nephews, he added, and helped finance his medical studies and the education of several of his cousins.

Shortly after the fatal shove, BART police arrested 49-year-old Trevor Belmont, also known as Hoak Taing, at the Powell Street Station. Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images

“Great doesn't even describe how I feel about this woman,” Alvin DanDan told The Standard on Tuesday. “I wouldn't be here and a lot of my cousins ​​wouldn't be here. … She put a lot of people through school.”

Dandan landed in San Francisco from the Philippines in the 1980s “as a single, independent woman,” he added.

Alvin said he spoke to his aunt via text message the day she was murdered.

“She sounded cheerful,” he said.

Dandan's nephew, a doctor in St. Louis, said his aunt helped him finance his medical studies. AP

BART officers arrested the 49-year-old Belmont man shortly after the fatal shoving at the station. Police said the suspect, also known as Hoak Taing, was a “transient.”

Belmont was booked into the San Francisco County Jail on Tuesday morning. He remains behind bars on charges of murder and assault on an elderly person likely to cause serious injury.

Investigators have not yet determined a motive for this shocking crime and are continuing to interview witnesses and review surveillance videos.

The investigation is ongoing.

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SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) – On Saturday night, skaters raced at high speed down Church Street in San Francisco – next to Dolores Park.

They call it the “hill bomb” and it happens every year, but the San Francisco Police have tried to prevent it.

They set up barricades on several blocks of Dolores Street, but the skaters simply went down another street.

“I guess the police aren't as interested in this one as they were in Dolores,” said Amire Lofton, who attended. “Four skaters, they all said Church Street and they all just came here.”

RELATED: 'You could get arrested': SFPD warns skaters planning to attend Dolores Park Hill bomb blast

The police were on the mountain but did not intervene. They even blocked the road for the skaters.

Last year, San Francisco police attempted to prevent the Hill Bomb and a confrontation broke out between them and the skaters. Over 100 people were arrested for throwing objects at police and damaging a MUNI train.

Police Chief Bill Scott said this week he would not tolerate violence.

Many skaters feel the city should have worked with them to keep the event going while ensuring safety.

“The city was not warned about this event without adequate warning,” said Aaron Breetwor, a skateboard activist from San Francisco. “I was in contact with them a year ago trying to get them to make the event safer, even though there was no official organizer, and they had nothing planned other than this.”

RELATED TOPICS: What will happen at this year's Dolores Park Hill bombing? SFPD advises not to go

Breetwor claims skateboards are listed as a non-motorized, user-powered vehicle in the city's traffic code. He plans to continue talking with the city.

However, residents of the park were happy to see the police.

“It's about public safety. It's not about the kids not having fun,” said Chuck Louden, who lives near the park. “I'm glad to see them here today. We can work together to find a place that works for everyone, but this is about safety.”

We have reached out to the San Francisco Police Department to ask why they did not intervene in the bombing on the hill and are now waiting for a response.

Copyright © 2024 KGO-TV. All rights reserved.

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A 46-year-old plumber was arrested on murder charges after police said he picked up a steel gymnastics bar at a Bally's Total Fitness and attacked another club member, punching him in the head “multiple times” before dropping the equipment and leaving the scene.

South San Francisco Sgt. Tom Neary told NBC Bay Area that around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday night, Kenneth Osako picked up a steel bar similar to that of a lat pulldown machine and delivered a fatal blow to the other gym member.

The San Mateo County coroner identified the gym member as Diego Galindo, 43, of San Bruno.

Galindo was taken to San Francisco General Hospital, where he died of his injuries Thursday, police said. Also on Thursday, a team of officers arrested Osako at a San Francisco plumbing construction site on Kansas Street after he agreed to surrender, Neary said.

It was unclear whether Osako was represented by an attorney. A legal representative for Bally's did not return a phone call Friday. Osako declined a request for an interview in prison.

Osako, whose mugshot shows a barbell piercing, was booked into the San Mateo County Jail on murder charges. He was not granted bail.

San Mateo County Assistant District Attorney Karen Guidotti said Friday morning that her office did not yet have the police report and that Osako would not appear in court until Monday at the earliest.

Neary said investigators interviewed people to determine the motive and whether Osako and Galindo knew each other. There were several witnesses in the gym who saw parts of the attack, police said.

An employee of Galindo's at Carneceria Pepa said Galindo and Osako only knew each other casually, and he described Galindo as a friendly guy who liked cars and motorcycles.

The suspect's father, Kenneth Osako Sr., said his son was a good child. He showed NBC Bay Area his son's room, which was filled with various over-the-counter pill bottles and fitness supplements.

“I just hope he calls us and tells us what happened,” he said.

When asked if he would support his son either way, Kenneth Osako Sr. replied: “No, if he is guilty, he is guilty. I don’t support anyone who is wrong.”

On Friday, everything seemed to be business as usual at the gym at 180 El Camino Real. Some members didn't even know about the brutal attack less than 48 hours beforehand.

“My coach acted like nothing happened,” Carlos Sosa Jr. told NBC Bay Area.

NBC Bay Area originally misidentified the weapon as a barbell. Neary said Friday that the fitness machine was “a weapon of opportunity.”

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Dawn Wood, a police officer with Essex Police's marine unit, was delighted to be awarded the British Empire Medal.

She has built relationships between the police and marine community along the Essex coast and is widely respected for her conservation work and her incredible achievements as an endurance athlete.

Two years ago, she completed a solo tour across the Atlantic to raise awareness of the problem of plastic pollution in the oceans.

She recorded the second fastest time by a woman to cross the Atlantic in February 2019 when she completed the 3,000 mile journey from the Canary Islands to Barbados in 53 days.

Battling raging seas and howling winds, PC Wood raised more than £20,000 and was later named Fundraiser of the Year by the Marine Conservation Society.

She also visited more than 50 schools and community groups to share her inspiring story and promote environmental protection and awareness of plastic pollution.

PC Wood said: “I had to read the letter three or four times – I couldn’t believe it.

“I thought the medal would only be for the individual, but to be recognized for the work I have done in the Maritime Police is just incredible.”

“Normally I’m not at a loss for words, but this time I was at a loss for words.”

In 2023, she hopes to accomplish another incredible charity feat as part of a four-person team rowing the Pacific from San Francisco to Hawaii.

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A registered sex offender has been arrested for installing a hidden camera in a Starbucks restroom in Union City, police said.

Union City police said Wednesday that David Lista, 35, of Hayward, was in possession of child pornography and video footage of people using bathrooms when they searched his home on Aug. 30. Police said they also found drug paraphernalia.

Police said they conducted the search after they linked him to the hidden camera found in the Starbucks at 32240 Dyer St. in Union City.

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He was booked into Santa Rita Jail on three counts of possessing child pornography, illegal videotaping, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held on $75,000 bail.

Lista is a registered sex offender, convicted of possessing child pornography in 2008 for videotaping girls at Mills High School in Millbrae, police said.

Investigators suspect that Lista may have illegally videotaped customers of his plumbing services.

Police are asking anyone who hired Lista as a plumber or as a contractor to contact Detective Angela Fonseca at 510-675-5283 or afonseca@unioncity.org, or Detective Steven Fong at 510-675-5259 or sfong@unioncity.org.

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A 46-year-old plumber was arrested on homicide charges after police say he picked up a steel gym bar at a Bally’s Total Fitness and attacked another club member, striking him on the head “several times” before dropping the piece of equipment and leaving the scene.

South San Francisco Sgt. Tom Neary told NBC Bay Area that Kenneth Osako picked up a steel bar, similar to one from a lat pull-down machine, and struck the other gym member with a fatal blow at about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday night.

The San Mateo County Coroner identified the gym member as Diego Galindo, 43, of San Bruno.

Galindo was taken to San Francisco General Hospital, where he died on Thursday from his injuries, police said. Also on Thursday, a team of officers arrested Osako at a plumbing job site in San Francisco on Kansas Street, after he agreed to surrender, Neary said.

It was unclear if Osako was represented by an attorney. A legal representative for Bally’s did not return a phone call on Friday. Osako declined a request for a jail-house interview.

Osako, whose mug shot shows an eye piercing of a barbell, was booked into San Mateo County jail on charges of murder. He was not allowed bail.

San Mateo County Assistant District Attorney Karen Guidotti said on Friday morning that her office did not yet have the police report, and the earliest Osako would be in court would be on Monday.

Neary said investigators were interviewing people to figure out a motive and whether Osako and Galindo knew each other. There were several witnesses in the gym who saw parts of the attack, police said.

A co-worker of Galindo’s at Carneceria Pepa said Galindo and Osako knew each other only in passing, and he described Galindo as a friendly guy, who liked cars and motorcycles.

The suspect’s father, Kenneth Osako Sr., said his son was a good kid. He showed NBC Bay Area his son’s room, which was filled with different over-the-counter prescription pill bottles and fitness supplements.

“I just hope he gives us a call and let us know what happened,” he said.

When asked if he would support his son either way, Kenneth Osako Sr. said “No, if he’s guilty, he’s guilty. I don’t support anybody that’s wrong.”

On Friday, it appeared to be business as usual at the gym at 180 El Camino Real. Some members didn’t even know about the brutal attack less than 48 hours before hand.

“My trainer acted like nothing had happened,” Carlos Sosa Jr. told NBC Bay Area.

NBC Bay Area originally incorrectly identified the weapon as a barbell. Neary said Friday that the piece of gym equipment was “a weapon of opportunity.”

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OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ, Associated Press

40 mins ago

The Phillip Burton Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse, where the federal trial of David DePape is underway, is pictured in San Francisco, on Monday, Nov. 13, 2023. Prosecutors say DePape broke into former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s home and bludgeoned her husband Paul Pelosi with a hammer in October 2022. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Prosecutors brought forward a string of law enforcement officials Monday to provide context around video that’s at the crux of their case against David DePape, the man accused of attacking former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband at the couple’s San Francisco home last year.

DePape has pleaded not guilty to attempted kidnapping of a federal official and assault on the immediate family member of a federal official with intent to retaliate against the official for performance of their duties. Prosecutors say DePape bludgeoned Paul Pelosi with a hammer in the early hours of Oct. 28, 2022, just days before that year’s midterm elections.

Federal prosecutors quickly moved through their witness list on the trial’s second day, bringing forward an FBI agent who collected the electronics DePape was carrying, a U.S. Capitol police officer who watches the surveillance cameras at the Pelosis’ home and another who has protected Nancy Pelosi since 2006, and a Bay Area Rapid Transit police sergeant.

Paul Pelosi was also expected to testify.

Some of the witnesses helped verify time stamps on footage from surveillance cameras at the Pelosis’ home, which are set to Eastern Time, and on BART trains, which were an hour behind Pacific Time.

Defense attorney Jodi Linker told jurors last week that she won’t dispute that DePape attacked Paul Pelosi in an encounter caught on police body camera video. Instead, she will argue that he believed “with every ounce of his being″ that he was taking action to stop government corruption and the abuse of children by politicians and actors. She said that means the government’s charges that DePape was trying to retaliate or interfere with Nancy Pelosi’s official duties don’t fit.

Federal prosecutor Laura Vartain Horn told jurors during opening statements Thursday that DePape started planning the attack in August and that the evidence and FBI testimony will show he researched his targets online, collecting phone numbers and addresses, even paying for a public records service to find information about Nancy Pelosi and others.

If convicted, DePape faces life in prison. He also has pleaded not guilty to charges in state court of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, residential burglary and other felonies. A state trial has not been scheduled.

Federal prosecutors say DePape smashed his shoulder through a glass panel on a door in the back of the Pelosis’ Pacific Heights mansion and confronted a sleeping Paul Pelosi, who was wearing boxer shorts and a pajama top.

“Where’s Nancy? Where’s Nancy?” DePape asked, standing over Paul Pelosi around 2 a.m. holding a hammer and zip ties, according to court records. Nancy Pelosi was in Washington and under the protection of her security detail, which does not extend to family members.

Paul Pelosi called 911 and two police officers showed up and witnessed DePape strike him in the head with a hammer, knocking him unconscious, court records showed.

Nancy Pelosi’s husband of 60 years later underwent surgery to repair a skull fracture and injuries to his right arm and hands.

After his arrest, DePape, 43, allegedly told a San Francisco detective that he wanted to hold Nancy Pelosi hostage. He said if she told him the truth, he would let her go and if she lied, he was going to “break her kneecaps” to show other members of Congress there were “consequences to actions,” according to prosecutors.

DePape, who lived in a garage in the Bay Area city of Richmond and had been doing odd carpentry jobs to support himself, allegedly told authorities he had other targets, including a women’s and queer studies professor, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, actor Tom Hanks and President Joe Biden’s son Hunter.

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San Francisco police chased a suspect driving a white Mercedes “G-Wagon” through city streets on Tuesday, according to police.

A video posted to the Citizen app showed the luxury G-Class SUV speeding past Muni trains as police vehicles followed at speed. The vehicles are often called “G-Wagons,” and new models sell for well over $100,000.

Several police vehicles, including an unmarked police vehicle displaying blue flashing lights, stormed after the suspect down Division Street at around 2:30 p.m.

At around 3:15 p.m., The Standard witnessed a heavy police presence at 16th and Folsom streets, where the white Mercedes had been stopped. One of the vehicle’s doors was open, and some of the vehicle’s tires appeared to be deflated.

Police said the suspect, a man, was transported to a hospital with minor injuries following a scuffle after he refused to comply with officers following the chase. Officers were also injured but were not taken to a hospital.

A white Mercedes “G-Wagon” is stopped at 16th and Folsom streets after a police chase in San Francisco. | Source: Joel Umanzor/The StandardTires are deflated on the white Mercedes “G-Wagon” stopped at Folsom and 16th streets on Tuesday afternoon. | Source: George Kelly/The Standard

“Dozens of police cars converged on the area,” witness Miguel Santiago said while standing at 16th and Folsom streets. “There were more police cars than I’ve ever seen before in my life.”

Here’s another look at that slow-moving police chase through SF on Tuesday afternoon. The pursuit ultimately came to an end when the suspect ditched the car and started to run. They were detained a short time later after a tense standoff with police. https://t.co/YTcVVx43VL pic.twitter.com/eMjMSIyk83

— ABC7 News (@abc7newsbayarea) November 7, 2023

Santiago said he was standing a block from Folsom Street when police cordoned off the street and were dealing with the suspect on Enterprise Street, which is essentially an alleyway off Folsom with a dead end.

A nearby worker who did not want to be named due to safety concerns said the Mercedes’ tires were already flat when it turned onto Folsom Street.

A Google Street View of Enterprise Street shows where the suspect was apprehended, according to San Francisco police, after a chase on Tuesday. | Source: GoogleA Google Map shows where the police chase of the white Mercedes SUV began and ended in San Francisco on Tuesday. | Source: Google Maps

Police said the pursuit began at 2:09 p.m. in the area of Richardson Avenue and Francisco Street near the Marina District and ended at Enterprise Street in the Mission District when the suspect was apprehended.

Buses are being rerouted around the 16th and Folsom streets area, according to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.

This is a developing story.

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A man has been arrested for allegedly knocking a parishioner unconscious inside a San Francisco Catholic church and throwing pipe bombs at a patrol car during a car chase, authorities said Monday.

The 42-year-old Concord man was arrested Sunday by California Highway Patrol officers in Martinez, east of San Francisco, following a 30-minute pursuit, San Francisco Assistant Police Chief David Lazar said.

The suspect was booked on suspicion of attempted murder, unlawful possession of an explosive device and other crimes.

Police were called after the man punched a parishioner in the head during mass at the Saints Peter and Paul Church in the city’s North Beach neighborhood, temporarily knocking him out, Lazar said.

Peter Marlow, spokesperson for the San Francisco Archdiocese, told KTVU-TV, that the man assaulted the parishioner Sunday evening after being reprimanded for failing to eat the consecrated host at Communion.

The man pulled a knife as he left the church and led officers who had responded to 911 calls on a car chase through city streets, Lazar alleged.

A few blocks from the church, the fleeing driver threw a pipe bomb at officers who “saw the flames and could feel when the bomb detonated,” and he threw a second, larger bomb before crossing the Bay Bridge, Lazar alleged.

The officers weren’t injured.

CHP officers who took over the pursuit from San Francisco police arrested the man after he crashed his car, authorities said.

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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