San Francisco, CA — A Sunday service was disrupted when a man accused of previously planting a car bomb assaulted a parishioner during mass and subsequently led authorities on a harrowing chase, utilizing homemade explosives against pursuing officers.
The suspect, 42-year-old Daniel Richard Garcia, confronted legal proceedings, denying all charges brought against him, which included attempted robbery and multiple counts related to the possession and detonation of explosives. These events added to Garcia’s contentious legal history, as he faced these accusations after an early release from a previous sentence for related crimes.
This latest incident commenced in the vicinity of a Catholic church on Filbert Street and escalated into a vehicular pursuit throughout San Francisco. During the chase, Garcia expelled two explosive devices aimed at the police, escalating the threat to public safety and law enforcement.
The pursuit terminated in Martinez, where Garcia was detained. The case took on an additional element of peculiarity when it was revealed that upon his arrest, Garcia inquired about “points” from a video game, drawing a disturbing parallel to his real-life actions. This reference to the video game Grand Theft Auto underscores the surreal and dangerous nature of the event.
Garcia’s criminal history includes a 2011 bombing of a vehicle, which resulted in a significant prison sentence; however, he was released early after a successful appeal against one of the charges. His criminal pattern poses critical questions regarding the evaluation of risks posed by early-released individuals with a history of violent offenses.