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California judge releases man who killed a person by running them over with his car

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A California judge this week released a prisoner accused of murder who has been in custody since he allegedly ran another man over with his car amid a confrontation earlier this year.

Judge Morris Jacobson ruled on Monday that 41-year old Kevin Mak can be released from custody on the condition that he wear an ankle monitor and cannot possess any weapons.

Mak was originally eligible for bond before the victim, Chi Leung, passed away from the injuries he suffered as a result of being hit by Mak’s vehicle in March this year. Upon Leung’s death, Mak’s charges were upgraded from assault with a deadly weapon to murder.

Video footage taken by a passenger in Mak’s car on the night in question shows the two driving around Oakland’s Chinatown area, attempting to ask a man they saw walking with a shovel – 66 year-old Leung –  if he knew anything about a string of recent vandalisms in the area. An altercation ensued, and Mak’s car accelerates and lurches forward onto the sidewalk, running over Leung.

Prosecutors say the act was deliberate, while defense attorneys say Mak could not have known Leung was standing in his path at the time.

“As tragic as this incident is, with less than one second between reversing and accelerating forward, and less than one second between acceleration and collision,” said defense attorney Neil Halliman, “Mr. Mak cannot and should not be held to have known that Mr. Leung was standing where he was when the collision occurred.”

Mak must attend all scheduled hearings as part of his release. It is not clear at this time whether any upcoming court dates are on the calendar in this case.

ARTICLE: LAURA SPIVAK

MANAGING EDITOR: CARSON CHOATE 

PHOTO CREDITS: OAKLANDSIDE.ORG

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Laura Spivak

Laura is a freelance writer out of Maryland and a mom of three. Her background is in political science and international relations, and she has been doing political writing and editing for 17 years. Laura has also written parenting pieces for the Today Show and is currently working on writing a collection of remarkable true stories about normal people. She writes for FBA because unbiased news is vital to unity, and readers deserve the facts free of opinion.

Laura is a freelance writer out of Maryland and a mom of three. Her background is in political science and international relations, and she has been doing political writing and editing for 17 years. Laura has also written parenting pieces for the Today Show and is currently working on writing a collection of remarkable true stories about normal people. She writes for FBA because unbiased news is vital to unity, and readers deserve the facts free of opinion.

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