Video of fatal S.F. crash may contradict bicyclist

The street where Chris Bucchere was riding his bicycle down when he ran over 71-year-old pedestrian Sutchi Hui who was crossing Castro, at Market street. Sutchi Hui, died. In San Francisco, Calif. on Saturday, April 7, 2012. less The street where Chris Bucchere was riding his bicycle down when he ran over 71-year-old pedestrian Sutchi Hui who was crossing Castro, at Market street. Sutchi Hui, died. In San Francisco, Calif. on Saturday, ... more Photo: Jill Schneider, The Chronicle Photo: Jill Schneider, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close Video of fatal S.F. crash may contradict bicyclist 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

Video surveillance footage taken when a bicyclist ran into a 71-year-old pedestrian crossing San Francisco's Castro Street, killing the man, is raising questions about the biker's account of the crash.

The video shows Sutchi Hui of San Bruno and his wife stepping into the intersection at Castro and Market streets just as Chris Bucchere rides in from the north side, said a law enforcement source who has viewed the footage.

"The biker is going fast and looks like he is hunched down. He hits the victim dead-on. There is never a moment where he looks like he is trying to slow down," said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because police are still investigating the March 29 crash.

Hui died of his injuries four days later.

Bucchere, who was also injured, apparently posted his version of the accident online that same day after being released from the hospital.

"I was already way too committed to stop," the post says. "The light turned red as I was cruising through the middle of the intersection and then, almost instantly, the southern crosswalk on Market and Castro filled up with people coming from both directions.

"I couldn't see a line through the crowd," the post adds, "and I couldn't stop, so I laid it down and just plowed through the crowded crosswalk in the least-populated place I could find."

According to our source, however, the video shows only three or four people in the crosswalk when the collision occurred.

"It's not like there is a sea of people crossing," the source said.

One thing the video does not show was whether the light was red or yellow when Bucchere entered the intersection. The light was out of the camera's view.

Bucchere's attorney, Ted Cassman, declined to comment on the tape or any other aspect of the case. He did, however, issue a statement earlier saying, "Chris believes that he entered the intersection lawfully and that he did everything possible to avoid the accident."

In the meantime, District Attorney George Gascón has asked the medical examiner to expedite a report on Hui's cause of death.

New gun: Suspended San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi has a new hired gun on his legal team: Shepard Kopp, the son of former state Sen. Quentin Kopp.

The younger Kopp, whose legal clients have included Michael Jackson and Mel Gibson, told us Tuesday, "The reason I'm involved in this case is I think the mayor is wrong on the law, and this is an abuse of power to remove elected officials."

And talk about a small world: The only time a San Francisco official has ever been booted from office for misconduct, the elder Kopp was president of the Board of Supervisors. Quentin Kopp presided over the hearings that led to Joe Mazzola being kicked off the Airports Commission, an action the courts later overturned.

So have father and son discussed the process? "No comment," says Shepard.

At the altar: News that Doyle Drive will be coming down in a little more than two weeks is music to the ears of transportation officials - but it's a real sour note for the young couple who had a wedding planned at the Presidio's chapel and Golden Gate Club that weekend.

The couple, who asked not to be named, were told Monday that they'd have to move or be subjected to the noise and dust of 40 giant hydraulic hammers.

A friend tells us the couple went into panic mode as they scrambled to find a place on short notice that can accommodate 170 guests.

Doyle Drive project spokeswoman Molly Graham said the couple's dilemma "really is unfortunate" - but given the push to get the job done before Memorial Day, planners didn't have much choice.

"Unfortunately, no matter what weekend we choose, people are going to be inconvenienced," she said. "And we have weddings every weekend."

In passing: The death of Mike Wallace reminded retired SFPD Capt. John Newlin of the time the legendary "60 Minutes" correspondent came to San Francisco's Mission Police Station.

"It was back in the early '90s, and '60 Minutes' was doing a piece on gay police officers," Newlin said. "At the time, Mission station, which includes the Castro, probably had more gay cops than any other station house in the world.

"They come in set up for all of these shoots in the locker room, and then in walks Mike Wallace looking and acting like he owns the place," Newlin said.

One of the cops piped up, "Hey, looks like we have someone famous here."

After a moment of stilted silence, a second cop chimed in: "Yeah, and he looks just like that guy Geraldo!"

Without missing a beat, Wallace turned around, yelled, "F- you," and flipped them all off, Newlin said.

With that, the ice was broken and everything went smoothly from there on out.

EXTRA! Catch our blog at www.sfgate.com/matierandross.