SAN FRANCISCO—San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin has filed two counts of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated against Troy McAlister for the deaths of Elizabeth Platt, 60, and Hanako Abe, 27.

“My entire office is distraught over this, and our hearts break for the families of Ms. Abe and Ms. Platt,” said District Attorney Boudin in a press release.

Platt and Abe were reportedly crossing the road at Second and Mission Streets on December 31 at about 4 p.m. when police say that a stolen grey Honda driven by McAlister hit them.

After McAlister hit the pedestrians, he reportedly escaped on foot. After  authorities arrived on the scene, they pronounced both Platt and Abe deceased.

“At the San Francisco Police Department, our hearts go out to the families of the victims in last evening’s fatal hit-and-run incident at Mission and Second Streets. This senseless tragedy shouldn’t have happened,” said San Francisco Police Chief William Scott.

“At the San Francisco Police Department, we take responsibility whenever we fall short of expectations. That’s an approach every element of our criminal justice system needs to embrace. We must all be held equally accountable for the decisions we make, because they can have serious implications for the safety of those we serve. San Franciscans deserve nothing less, and that’s what they’re demanding from all of us in the criminal justice system,” Chief Scott continued.

McAlister, 45, was  released on parole from a state prison in April 2020 for robbery. Authorities indicate that McAlister stole a vehicle two days before December 31 and was driving it recklessly as a result of drinking alcohol. Officials affirm that McAlister was driving under the influence the day of the hit-and-run.

“This horrific tragedy is an example of many different agencies each failing to intervene effectively,” said District Attorney Boudin. “Although of course no one predicted this tragedy, it is true that the Daly City Police, the San Francisco Police, Parole, and my office all could have done things differently, which might have avoided this terrible outcome,” he added.

The SFDA’s Office indicated they are currently reviewing “what we could have done differently in house and we are carefully reviewing what happened and how the District Attorney’s Office can work to prevent tragedies like this from occurring in the future.”

One of the immediate changes is that prosecutors must speak with the parole board when referring to any cases for violations or in making decisions about them.

“Although SFPD officers are required to—and typically do— contact parole in every arrest of a parolee per SFPD General Order 6.12, this policy will provide an additional check on that system to ensure that parole is updated,” the DA’s Office stated.

The goal, the DA’s Office noted is three-fold: hold McAlister accountable, support the victim’s families, and “working internally in our own office and along with our justice partners to make changes to prevent this kind of tragedy.”

Along with the two counts of vehicular manslaughter, the SFDA’s Office is also charging McAlister with other charges like felonies for driving under the influence, possession of firearm, driving a stolen vehicle, leaving the scene of a collision, and felony transportation of a controlled substance.