Han Shin, the man accused last year of stalking Mayor Gavin Newsom and trying to run over his ex-boyfriend's roommate, found himself in trouble again this week after he allegedly rammed his car into the driver of another vehicle following a traffic accident. It is the second time in 18 months that Shin has been accused of trying to run someone over.
The latest incident occurred around noon Wednesday, July 9 at the intersection of 9th and Harrison streets. Police arrested Shin, 43, who was wearing sandals, yellow shorts cut above the knee, and a yellow and black patterned silk collared shirt - so sorry to say, no purple latex gloves. He was charged with aggravated assault with an automobile weapon. As of Friday, Shin remained in San Francisco County jail.
According to police, Shin and another driver were involved in a traffic accident after which Shin allegedly drove his Toyota Corolla LE into the other driver.
"There was some type of prior contact between the two. When the victim stopped at the traffic light, the suspect drove into the victim's vehicle intentionally," said police spokesman Sergeant Neville Gittens.
"then the suspect intentionally ran into the other person."
According to eyewitness accounts, soon after the accident Shin walked toward the Bay Area Reporter (B.A.R.) offices on 9th Street. Another driver warned him that he was leaving the scene of an accident. A B.A.R. staffer was later told that he'd hit both vehicles and had asked,
"Where's the Bay Area Reporter?"
According to the staff member, Shin entered the office whimpering and carrying large, rolled up pieces of paper, folders, and a bag loaded with more papers.
Not knowing about the accident, staff asked if there was something wrong, and if he wanted them to call police. Shin replied:
"I'm afraid of the police."
That's when staff members recognized him and one staffer told Shin he remembered him as the person who was found in Mayor Newsom's apartment building.
Shin adopted a somber, serious tone and asked, "What do you know about it?" After that, he started babbling incoherently.
When Shin started to open a small gate that leads past the B.A.R. 's front desk, as if he wanted to come back and talk to staff, he was told, "Just leave, just get out."
Shin got huffy, grabbed his things, and as he turned to leave yelled back:
"Fucking fags!"
Back outside, Shin, who'd been screaming during much of the accident's aftermath – at one point, a police officer tugged on his shirt in an apparent attempt to get him to calm down – eventually appeared to be in better spirits.
As he stood outside the Vagabond Inn, which is next door to the B.A.R., he raised his hands in the air, shimmied, and sang part of the Brenda Lee classic "I'm Sorry." Shin also rambled, invoking the names of Madonna and Benjamin Franklin as an officer stood a few feet across from him.
Shin, a new age author and beauty contestant organizer, didn't resist as police handcuffed him moments later and led him away.
In February 2007, Shin was caught trying to break into Newsom's Pacific Heights apartment building and was charged with stalking the debonair politician. He reportedly had been seen photographing the mayor below the waist at a public event and aggressively grabbed Newsom.
Shin denied the charges, but a San Francisco Superior Court commissioner issued a three-year restraining order against Shin, ordering him to stay at least 100 yards from Newsom.
Later that month Shin faced numerous charges in Contra Costa County, including one count of first-degree residential burglary, three counts of assault with a deadly weapon and one count felony vandalism stemming from a February 28 incident in San Ramon.
Prosecutors alleged that Shin went to the home of his former lover to confront him, but when the man wasn't at home, Shin allegedly barged into the residence, took some money and a photograph of the former boyfriend and left. The man's roommate followed Shin outside, according to police, and Shin allegedly tried to run him over three times with his car.
Complete Article: Newsom Stalker Arrested After Car Accident by Matthew S. BajkoRelated Posts:
I stumbled across an interesting post on C.W. Nevius Blog, asserting Gavin Newsom is still rankled by Barack Obama snub dating back to 2004.
