San Francisco, CA – San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced today that her office secured a conviction of Tristan Durham (28), after a trial by jury for assaulting a police officer with a stolen Ford Expedition while trying to flee. Mr. Durham was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) and unlawful taking of a vehicle (VC 10851).

“I would like to thank the jury for their service in this trial,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “The jury’s verdict holds Mr. Durham accountable for his senseless crimes. This case highlights some of the risks that San Francsico Police take every day to protect the safety of the public. Those who come to San Francisco to commit crime, or to hideout, should expect a unified response from law enforcement that will result in arrest, prosecution and conviction.”

According to the testimony and evidence presented at trial, on March 20, 2024, while investigating an unrelated crime SFPD officers positioned themselves in a driveway at an apartment near Lake Merced. At that moment Mr. Durham was also parked in the driveway in a Ford Expedition he had stolen from San Francisco International Airport earlier in the day. After hearing sirens, Mr. Durham attempted to flee and reversed the Ford Expedition into an unmarked police vehicle. He then accelerated the vehicle onto the sidewalk at a high rate of speed and veered around multiple officers and unmarked police vehicles. As Mr. Durham drove toward the driveway exit, he rammed the Ford Expedition into an SFPD vehicle, on scene to assist with the unrelated arrest. The SFPD Sergeant driving the vehicle narrowly escaped and was unharmed. Mr. Durham fled the scene and abandoned the stolen Ford Expedition at a nearby apartment complex and was subsequently arrested.

The case against Mr. Durham was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Matt Donahue with assistance from paralegal Sara Wong and IT support from Noaeh Pinaire and Leland Chan. Victim Advocate Kevn Lee worked closely with the victim through the pendency of this case. Prosecutors were able to develop a strong case against Mr. Durham based on the work of SFPD’s Gun Crime Investigations Center, Crime Lab and Crime Scene Investigation Unit as well as the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

“San Francisco Police Department officers deserve safety and respect when they perform their jobs,” said Assistant District Attorney Matt Donahue. “Acts of violence toward officers as a means of avoiding accountability cannot be tolerated. We thank the jury for their thoughtful deliberation and verdict.”

Mr. Durham is currently in custody. Sentencing is scheduled for May 6, 2025.

Court Number: 24006089

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