Homeless Driver Tries to Run Down Officer

By Patti Schofler

SAN RAFAEL — After reportedly attempting to run down a San Rafael motorcycle officer, Ian Munich, 29, drove his van into a power pole and was pronounced dead at the scene.

            Around 11 a.m. March 30 an officer spotted Munich recklessly driving a white GMC van and running a red light in downtown San Rafael, according to San Rafael Public Information Officer Margo Rohrbacher.  The officer called the description of the vehicle to other units.

            Munich, reportedly a homeless man who lived in the van, parked on Point San Pedro Road until officers arrived. He then rammed one of the police cars, officials said. Speeding away, he “recklessly” drove the wrong direction in both the east and west bound lanes of Point San Pedro Road where a traffic officer waited for him at Porto Bello Road.

             Munich drove straight at the officer, “attempting to run him over,” Rohrbacher said. “The officer jumped off his BMW motorcycle right before the van struck it. The motorcycle was pushed 600 feet and landed in the center median, totally destroyed.”

            Munich drove over the median strip into the eastbound lanes where he collided with another police car. After that Munich, the only occupant in the van, struck a power pole.

            “The motorcycle officer was treated and released at Marin General Hospital and is doing fine,” Rohrbacher said.

            The Marin County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the criminal case of attempted murder of a police officer. The California Highway Patrol is investigating the traffic collision.