By Sophia Kim, Grace Roesgen
On Aug. 5, 2025, in Department 9 of the San Francisco Hall of Justice, Judge Gerardo C. Sandoval denied pretrial release to a man who appeared in custody with six broken ribs, a cracked spine and a fractured hip, ruling that he is a danger to society.
The accused is facing three felony charges, all from the same day. Further discovery is needed to determine the nature of the incident that resulted in both the charges and the accused’s injuries.
Assistant District Attorney Albert Ujcic opposed release, providing a narrative in which the accused was allegedly involved in a hit-and-run crash, then evaded police by running a red light, driving at an unsafe speed and traveling on the wrong side of the road toward oncoming traffic. The accused’s vehicle stopped only when he collided with another vehicle. For these reasons, Ujcic argued there should be no pretrial release and no bail.
Public Defender Maggie Gaan, on behalf of Eli Huscher, the appointed public defender in the case, told Judge Sandoval that after the incident, the accused suffered near-fatal injuries and was transported directly to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, where he was placed in overnight processing and not provided a bed until the next day, when he underwent surgery. Since then, he has remained in custody without adequate medical care, prolonging his injuries.
Regaining health is essential for the accused, who is the primary caretaker for two children and has eight children total living with him. The household is supported by his wages as a cleaner at an Oakland cleaning company. Given these circumstances and his physical state, Gaan expressed surprise to the judge that release had not been granted, saying she had “never seen a client be this injured and remain in custody.”
The next court date is scheduled for Aug. 8, 2025, when Gaan will again attempt to secure pretrial release, this time by invoking California Penal Code section 4011.5.
