Bail denied for accused rampage driver

By Brigid Gaffikin, Bay City News Service

August 31, 2006

Bail was denied today for a Fremont man facing a slew of felony charges in connection with a string of hit-and-run collisions in San Francisco Tuesday afternoon that sent at least 13 people to the hospital, seven with serious injuries.

Omeed Aziz Popal, 29, has been in custody since Wednesday and didn't appear in San Francisco Superior Court today.

He will be represented by public defender William Maas, who said Popal's mental health is still being evaluated. Popal's next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday.

A prosecutor said in court today that Popal had told authorities that he wanted to kill a police officer, but couldn't find any.

Authorities believe that before the hit-and-run spree in San Francisco, around noon in Fremont, Popal drove into and killed a 54-year-old pedestrian, Stephen J. Wilson of Fremont.

Popal faces 18 counts of assault with a deadly weapon, a felony count of battery on a peace officer causing injury and a felony count of reckless evasion from police.

If convicted on all charges, he could face life in prison.

The charges in San Francisco are separate from any he might face in Alameda County, where Wilson was killed.

Popal's family had no public comment today besides expressing sympathy for the collision victims. After today's brief hearing, a group of Popal's family members, including his mother and brother, hurried out of the courtroom, one woman covering her face with her hands.

Copyright © 2006 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

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