A 48-year-old man was found guilty of carjacking an Uber driver in San Francisco in January, according to prosecutors.
Jason Gresham has been convicted of carjacking, eluding a police officer and giving false information to a police officer, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office said in a statement Thursday.
Based on evidence and testimony presented at trial, on January 21, Gresham approached an Uber driver waiting at a hotel in the Fisherman’s Wharf area. He opened the passenger door of the car, leaned his body in and demanded a ride from the driver.
When the driver refused, Gresham produced a shiny, pointed object and demanded that the driver exit the vehicle or he would hit the victim. Prosecutors said the victim exited the vehicle and Gresham climbed over the center console, got into the driver’s seat and fled the scene toward the Bay Bridge.
The victim was able to report the carjacking to the police. Officers later saw the car pull into a driveway, prompting them to follow it and attempt to pull it over.
However, Gresham reportedly did not yield and continued to speed east on Interstate Highway 80. California Highway Patrol officers from Oakland joined the chase as he drove for about 40 minutes.
Gresham eventually stopped in a dead-end parking lot in Vallejo, where officers picked him up. Prosecutors say he gave a false name and date of birth while in custody.
“This verdict sends the message that voluntarily getting drunk is not an excuse for committing violent and dangerous crimes,” Assistant District Attorney Abigail Adams said in a statement. “I commend the victim for overcoming his ongoing fear as a result of this incident and for testifying in this case. I am also grateful to the jury for carefully comparing the two different stories presented at trial and for analyzing all the evidence in the case to reach a conclusion. a just judgment.”
Gresham will face another aggravating factor trial on December 4 before being sentenced.
