Oakland Officers Laughed After Fatal 'Ghost Chase' Crash
Body camera footage shows two former Oakland officers laughing after an illegal high-speed ghost chase killed 28-year-old Lolomanaia Soakai in 2022.
Dan Lesin
News Reporter
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About Dan
Dan Lesin spent five years at the San Jose Mercury News covering the South Bay beat before joining San Francisco Download. His breaking news coverage has earned recognition from the California News Publishers Association, and his enterprise reporting on housing issues has influenced local policy discussions. A Stanford graduate, Dan brings rigorous fact-checking and clear prose to every story.
Articles by Dan
Northern California Ski Resorts Close Early Due to Snowmelt
Several Northern California ski resorts are shutting down early this spring as warm temperatures accelerate snowmelt across the Sierra Nevada and Lake Tahoe region.
Norovirus Cases Spike in SF, Marin & Silicon Valley
Wastewater data reveals a regional norovirus surge hitting San Francisco, Marin County, and Silicon Valley. Here's what you need to know to stay safe.
SF Homelessness Director Shireen McSpadden Steps Down
Shireen McSpadden, San Francisco's homelessness department director, announced she will leave her post on June 30 after five years leading the agency.
WWII Female Muni Operators Who Kept SF's Streetcars Running
Discover how women like Dolores Piluso kept San Francisco's Muni system running during WWII, and what their story reveals about transit and human factors.
SF Supervisor Wong Launches 'Dumb Laws' Contest in 2026
District 4 Supervisor Alan Wong invites SF residents to submit outdated or pointless city regulations for review, simplification, or repeal.
Nomadic Bookshop Opens in Oakland's Uptown District
Nomadic Bookshop launched in Oakland's Uptown district to nearly 400 attendees, blending independent publishing, poetry, and community-led events.
Caltrain & Prologis Propose 2,500-Unit Railyards Towers in SF
Caltrain and Prologis have filed plans for a 20-acre, 2,500-unit housing development at 4th and King streets in San Francisco, spanning 15-20 years.
New Biography Traces Bruce Lee's Formative Year in Oakland During Turbulent 1960s
A new biography explores Bruce Lee's pivotal but brief time in Oakland, where the future martial arts icon developed his revolutionary fighting style while living in a city on the brink of major social movements.
Bay Area Tech Worker Searches Nearly a Year for New Job as AI Drives Continued Layoffs
Joseph Tinner has spent almost a year searching for work after losing his tech job, applying for hundreds of positions only to face repeated rejections in what he calls a "roller coaster" job market requiring "a lot of resilience."
Bay Area Olympic Stars Liu and Gu Spark Nationalism Debate Between US and China
Two Bay Area-raised Olympic champions have become symbols in the intensifying rivalry between the United States and China, drawing vastly different reactions from both nations based on their choice of which country to represent.
Rivian Opens Milpitas Facility Under $19 Million Tax Deal to Help City Close Budget Gap
Electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian has opened a new sales and service facility in Milpitas, launching an eight-year tax incentive agreement that city officials hope will generate millions in revenue to address mounting budget deficits.
Savannah Guthrie Returns to Mother's Tucson Home Amid Ongoing Missing Person Investigation
"Today" show host Savannah Guthrie made her first visit to her mother's Tucson-area home Monday since Nancy Guthrie disappeared a month ago, according to video captured by news outlets.
San Francisco Photographer Finds Lower Costs in Miami But Misses Bay Area's Professional Culture
A San Francisco photographer who relocated to Miami during the pandemic says he appreciates Florida's lower cost of living and lifestyle benefits but misses the professional standards he experienced in the Bay Area.
Sierra Nevada Avalanche Survivors Describe Fatal Decision to Ski Out in Blizzard Conditions
Two survivors of the deadly February 17 avalanche near Castle Peak in the Sierra Nevada Mountains have provided new details about the group's decision to venture out during dangerous blizzard conditions that ultimately killed nine people.
Bay Area Death Cap Mushroom Outbreak Kills Four, Hospitalizes 40 in Unprecedented Crisis
An exceptionally wet winter has triggered the deadliest mushroom poisoning outbreak in California history, with four deaths and 40 hospitalizations since November, according to the California Department of Public Health. The crisis has disproportionately affected immigrant communities across the Bay Area, where six of the state's ten affected counties are located.
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 Returns to San Francisco with Early Bird Pricing Ending February 27
Tech entrepreneurs and investors have three days remaining to secure discounted tickets for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, with Super Early Bird pricing ending February 27 at 11:59 p.m. PT, according to event organizers.
San Jose and Oakland Airports See Passenger Declines in 2025 While SFO Posts Gains
San Jose and Oakland airports experienced significant passenger declines in 2025, while San Francisco International Airport bucked the trend with modest growth, according to reports from the three Bay Area aviation hubs.
Berkeley Flash Fiction Pioneer Grant Faulkner Launches New "Flash Novel" and Memoir Platform
Berkeley writer Grant Faulkner continues to reshape the literary landscape with his latest book release and the launch of a new memoir-focused platform, cementing the Bay Area's position as a hub for innovative short-form writing.
Silicon Valley Engineers Grapple with AI Tools That Can Code Entire Projects Autonomously
Software engineers across Silicon Valley are confronting an unsettling reality: artificial intelligence tools have advanced to the point where they can build entire coding projects with minimal human input, sparking widespread anxiety about job security in the Bay Area's tech-heavy economy.
ABC7 Expands Digital News Access with Streaming Apps for Bay Area Viewers
ABC7 News has launched a comprehensive suite of digital applications designed to deliver Bay Area news content across multiple platforms, according to information published on the station's website.
San Francisco Loses 4,400 Jobs Despite AI Boom as Tech Layoffs Continue
San Francisco's job market contracted in 2025 despite the city serving as the epicenter of the artificial intelligence boom, with the region losing 4,400 positions as traditional tech companies shed w...
Museum roundup lacks automotive exhibits Bay Area drivers want
Bay Area museums lack automotive exhibits despite the region's role as the epicenter of EV and autonomous vehicle development, leaving car enthusiasts seeking alternatives.