A California man’s alleged drug run unraveled when he mistakenly left a backpack packed with suspected methamphetamine inside a rideshare vehicle, authorities said in a news release.
The San Francisco Police Department said officers recovered about three-quarters of a pound of suspected meth after the rideshare driver reached out to police on Sunday afternoon.
The suspected drugs are worth more than $30,000 on the street, based on figures from the treatment directory Recovered, which lists typical meth prices at up to $100 per gram.
Authorities seized a total of 355.7 grams of suspected methamphetamine July 12, 2026. (San Francisco Police Department)
“A suspect’s rideshare trip took an unexpected turn after he left behind a bag containing more than 300 grams of methamphetamine,” SFPD said.
The case began near San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood, an area long associated with visible drug activity, homelessness and violent crime.
Police named the suspect as Jessie Ottman-Combs, a 41-year-old resident of Sacramento.
Cars and pedestrians travel through San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)
Authorities said they quickly located Ottman-Combs after working with the rideshare driver to arrange for the backpack to be returned to its owner, ultimately leading officers to a motel where he was staying.
During a search of the motel room, officers reportedly recovered two cellphones, two tablets and drug paraphernalia.
Police seized all the items, along with the suspected methamphetamine found in the rideshare vehicle, as evidence.
San Francisco Police recovered 355.7 grams of suspected methamphetamine. (Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images, File)
Authorities recovered 355.7 grams of suspected methamphetamine.
Ottman-Combs was booked into the San Francisco County Jail on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and transportation or sale of methamphetamine.
The investigation remains active, police said.
