A man experiencing homelessness in San Francisco remained in critical condition Monday after authorities said he was struck by an off-duty police officer known for appearing in the department’s public-facing promotional campaigns.
Officer Mike Petuya, a third-generation member of law enforcement and a recognizable figure in San Francisco Police Department recruiting materials, was driving his personal vehicle while off duty when he hit the man, who was reportedly sleeping or lying on the ground, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Witness accounts described the injured man as “screaming and yelling” after the collision.
The crash happened shortly after 7 a.m. in an alley near SFPD’s Central Station in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood.
The San Francisco Police Department confirmed that the collision occurred and said the case is being investigated, though officials did not publicly identify the officer involved.
“The driver immediately stopped and contacted emergency responders,” SFPD spokesperson Paulina Henderson said.
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“Additional officers arrived on scene and rendered aid to the individual prior to the arrival of SFFD personnel. Paramedics arrived on scene and transported the adult male individual to the hospital where he is in critical condition,” Henderson added.
Petuya has been a prominent presence within the department’s outreach efforts, appearing in videos that promote both San Francisco and the police force.
In one Instagram video, he appeared with Mayor Daniel Lurie at a youth sports event organized by law enforcement agencies, ending the clip with the mayor’s signature line: “let’s go, San Francisco!”
“My family has been in San Francisco since 1904 … so this is home,” Petuya said in one video posted by the organization It All Starts Here SF. “I don’t like going anywhere else, I couldn’t imagine living or working anywhere else, and this is home.”
“I look forward to continuing my journey serving the city,” he added.
Petuya has also been a leader at SFPD’s Pride Alliance, a group for LGBTQ police officers, according to city records.
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