Dad asks drivers to slow down

Jennie Zhu, 58, booked Sept. 28, 2013, on suspicion of vehicular homicide in connection with a crash the day before that killed 16-year-old Kevin San of San Francisco. Jennie Zhu, 58, booked Sept. 28, 2013, on suspicion of vehicular homicide in connection with a crash the day before that killed 16-year-old Kevin San of San Francisco. Photo: San Francisco Police Photo: San Francisco Police Image 1 of / 14 Caption Close Dad asks drivers to slow down 1 / 14 Back to Gallery

The father of a 16-year-old boy killed last week in San Francisco's Western Addition by a speeding motorist made a plea Monday for the city's motorists to slow down.

"We cannot comprehend why anyone would be driving 80 miles an hour in the streets of San Francisco," said the father of Kevin San, a Lincoln High School junior killed just before 7 a.m. Friday on Pine Street near Gough Street.

"Instead of Kevin, it could've been any one of our children in our community - please, everyone, slow down!" said Hong Man San, through an interpreter.

On Saturday, police arrested Jennie Zhu, 58, in the crash that left San's mother and sister seriously injured in addition to three other people in a nearby catering van.

Zhu, who suffered minor injuries, has since posted $300,000 bail.

Police say Zhu was apparently speeding at up to 80 mph in her Mercedes-Benz when she hit the San family minivan and the catering truck. She faces charges of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.

Police do not believe drugs or alcohol were involved, but have not explained why Zhu might have been going so fast. She was also cited for driving at an unsafe speed and for violating a state code that requires drivers to change lanes safely and after signaling.

Zhu has no violations on her Department of Motor Vehicles record. She could not be reached for comment Monday.

Hundreds of Lincoln High students held a tearful memorial during the school lunch break Monday for San, who was an avid bicyclist and a member of the Junior ROTC. School officials are offering counseling this week to help grieving students.

Stephanie Acedillo, who graduated from Lincoln High last year and was in the Junior ROTC drum corps with San, said he had an infectious enthusiasm and was always smiling, laughing and having fun.

"Drum corps was supposed to be serious, but he always joked around," she said. But "when it came down to it, he did what he was told. ... He was a good drummer."