SFPD Officers Awarded for Tracking Down Stolen Vehicle, Arresting Violent Suspect 25-014

The San Francisco Police Department recognized Officer Casey Chow and Officer Anthony Quimbo from Northern Station for their exemplary and tenacious work during the Officer of the Month celebration at City Hall on Wednesday.

Officers Chow and Quimbo were two of four officers recognized during the quarterly event that included body-worn camera footage of their efforts to apprehend a violent suspect who attempted to take the officer’s service pistol.

Watch a video clip of the incident along with body-worn camera footage.

The SFPD would like to thank the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this case.
It happened on November 9, 2024, at approximately 8:00 a.m., when officers Chow and Quimbo observed a person driving a red Hyundai recklessly by spinning the tires and doing “donuts” in the intersection of Laguna and McAllister streets.

The officers attempted to conduct a traffic enforcement stop, but the driver failed to yield and fled on the one-way street of Gough Street, traveling in the opposite direction of traffic. Due to the increased risk to the public, the officers chose not to pursue the vehicle.

Shortly thereafter, the officers were at a local hospital conducting their collision investigation. The officers heard dispatch broadcast an incident where a red Hyundai was driving recklessly at McAllister and Gough streets. Officers Quimbo and Chow believed that this was the same red Hyundai that evaded them earlier.

The officers contacted the reporting party of the reckless driving call that was broadcast who provided them with a photograph of the Hyundai, which the officers recognized as the same vehicle that fled from them.

Officers contacted the registered owner of the red Hyundai and discovered that the vehicle had been stolen but had not yet been reported. The officers took the stolen vehicle report from the victim.

As the officers were returning to Northern Station, they observed the same red Hyundai parked on the 900 block of Turk Street. The officers approached the male driver of the Hyundai who was outside of the vehicle.

When the officers contacted the driver, he immediately resisted arrest, which caused all three to fall to the ground. While on the ground the suspect grabbed Officer Chow’s firearm and attempted to remove it from the holster using both his hands. After an extended struggle with the suspect, the officers were able to handcuff him with assistance from San Francisco Sheriff Deputies who responded to the scene.

While completing the stolen vehicle investigation, the officers discovered that the suspect was also wanted for an assault with a deadly weapon that occurred in the Tenderloin earlier that same day at approximately 7:10 a.m.

The officers arrested the suspect for the felony charges of driving a stolen vehicle, taking a firearm from a police officer, possession of stolen property, reckless driving, and possession of a stolen vehicle.  

This investigation exemplifies excellent police work and going above and beyond what is required or expected. Officers Quimbo and Chow returned the vehicle to its grateful owner and arrested a violent felon who had risked the safety of the public with his actions.

Watch the entire Officer of the Month Award Ceremony in its entirety.

SFPD Case # 240702363, 240702216