San Francisco, CA – San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced today that her office secured a conviction of Fernando Capeletti (44), after a trial by jury for driving under the influence on 16th Street. Mr. Capeletti was convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol (VC 23152(a)) and driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or greater (VC 23152(b)).

“I would like to thank the jury for their service in this trial,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “Driving under the influence is illegal, dangerous and deadly. My office takes these cases seriously and will continue to do everything we can to make our roads safer.”

According to testimony and other evidence presented at trial, on September 4, 2024, at approximately 5:06 pm, multiple 911 callers called to report a drunk Lyft driver around 16th and Valencia Street who had exited his vehicle and fought people walking on the sidewalk. Officers responded to the area and found Mr. Capeletti standing in the middle of the street next to his car outside of the Roxie Theatre. The Silver Lexus SUV was double parked facing east towards Valencia Street. The left side of the vehicle had extensive damage that made it so that the door had difficulty closing.

Multiple witnesses on scene stated that Mr. Capeletti parked on a red curb line behind a motorcycle. When he attempted to leave his parking spot, he knocked the motorcycle over with his car and attempted to drive away. People began yelling at him that he was a drunk driver and had just knocked over a motorcycle. He then drove his vehicle for a short distance and parked it in the middle of the street. He exited the Lexus and got into a verbal altercation that turned physical with people who were yelling at him on the sidewalk. Mr. Capeletti then got back into the Lexus to try and leave but his keys were removed from the vehicle by a passerby. Witnesses on scene watched as a bottle of alcohol rolled underneath his car. Mr Capeletti continued to argue with numerous other bystanders until police arrived.

Officers asked Mr. Capeletti to move to the sidewalk for his safety and conducted a DUI investigation. Mr. Capeletti told officers that he was picking up a Lyft passenger, the damage to the Lexus had occurred earlier in the day, he had not consumed alcohol, and that he had not knocked the motorcycle over with his car. He was then taken to Mission Station where he submitted to two consecutive Chemical Breath Tests that showed his Blood Alcohol Content was a 0.20% and 0.19%.

The case against Mr. Capeletti was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Donoval Campos-Coolbaugh with assistance from paralegal Josh Nickchen and Raquel Paz. Prosecutors were able to develop a strong case against Mr. Capeletti based on the San Francisco Police Department’s Mission Station thorough investigation and assistance.

“This office takes drinking and driving seriously and will do everything possible to keep the streets of San Francisco safe,” said Assistant District Attorney Donovan Campos-Coolbaugh. “It is unacceptable that a Lyft driver, responsible for transporting members of the San Francisco community, was driving under the influence of alcohol with a Blood Alcohol Level over 2.5 times the legal limit. Thank you to the jury for enforcing the law and your service in this trial.”

Court Number: 24416856

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