Driver accused of ramming SF officer pleads not guilty to attempted murder

San Francisco police Officer Elia Lewin-Tankel was critically injured on Oct. 18, 2017, when officials said a suspect in an SUV ran over the officer. San Francisco police Officer Elia Lewin-Tankel was critically injured on Oct. 18, 2017, when officials said a suspect in an SUV ran over the officer. Photo: San Francisco Police Department Photo: San Francisco Police Department Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Driver accused of ramming SF officer pleads not guilty to attempted murder 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

A man accused of running down a San Francisco bicycle patrol police officer with a sport utility vehicle and then speeding away, prompting an hours-long manhunt, pleaded not guilty Friday to attempted-murder charges.

As Officer Elia Lewin-Tankel remained in critical condition in San Francisco General Hospital’s intensive care unit, the man booked into custody as Maurquise Johnson made his first court appearance, at which he appeared belligerent and insisted on a name change.

The 50-year-old suspect, who has a long criminal history of reckless driving and evading arrest under several aliases, asked to be identified as Willie Flanigan, and the court agreed to the name change.

Lewin-Tankel was on his bicycle, riding to assist officers in a gun-related case when Flanigan, a suspect in that case, ran him down in a stolen Lexus SUV about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday on Turk Street, just a few blocks from City Hall, police said.

Flanigan then drove off and abandoned the car about a mile and a half west at Central and Fell streets, police said. He was taken into custody about 3:30 p.m. on Ellis Street.

In an interview Thursday from jail, Flanigan told KTVU that he and the officer collided as he pulled out of a garage. He said he wasn’t at fault and called the Police Department corrupt.

“I’m hoping that the FBI and the Justice Department will be coming forward,” Flanigan said in court Friday, after his public defender entered not guilty pleas on his behalf.

Deputy Public Defender Alex Lilien repeatedly counseled Flanigan to remain silent, but after Judge Sharon Reardon set his bail at $10 million, he blurted out, “Isn’t that extreme? Who can afford that if they’re homeless?”

“That’s racist,” Flanigan said.

Lilien corroborated Flanigan’s contention that he is indigent, but Reardon said she was setting high bail based on the seriousness of the charges, the injuries to the victim and Flanigan’s lengthy criminal record.

“I’m a nonviolent offender,” he responded angrily.

Flanigan’s rap sheet stretches back to the ’90s, with a hit-and-run in San Francisco in 1992 and a misdemeanor petty theft conviction in San Mateo County in 1993.

More recently, he was convicted in San Mateo County of giving false information to an officer in 2013 and convicted of grand theft in San Francisco for a crime in which he was originally charged with robbery, receiving a stolen car and evading an officer.

In 2014, he was arrested in San Francisco on suspicion of buying or receiving stolen property and providing false information to an officer, and the next year he was arrested in the city on suspicion of recklessly evading police and leaving the scene of an accident.

In June 2016, he was sentenced to state prison for two years for stealing a car and evading police in San Mateo County, but he was released after a few months because he had already served much of his time before sentencing. In February, he pleaded no contest in San Francisco to drug dealing, records show, and was sentenced to 67 days in jail

Outside court, Lilien declined to comment further on the facts of the case, but said, “Our hearts go out to the officer who was injured, to his family, to his colleagues, and that includes Mr. Flanigan.”

He asked the public to reserve judgment.

“Ultimately, criminal cases are about intent,” Lilien said, but did not elaborate when asked what he meant by that.

Dozens of San Francisco officers stood outside the courtroom, many still in uniform and several in suits.

“The officers here, they’re here to support their brother in blue,” said Martin Halloran, president of the police union. He said their focus right now is on Lewin-Tankel’s recovery.

Lewin-Tankel is a five-year veteran of the Police Department and a well-known face in the Tenderloin neighborhood, which he patrolled on the bicycle beat. Neighbors say he has deep knowledge of the history of the neighborhood and is respectful in his treatment of residents.

His family has asked for “everyone to send good energy and prayers for his recovery.”

“Elia is a symbol of strength,” his wife said in a statement Thursday. “It’s in his blood. This situation will be no different. This is not the end of Elia’s story.”

Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VivianHo