San Francisco Man Accused of Slashing the Tires on 17 Waymo Robotaxis

Someone appears to person had it with the Bay Area’s self-driving cars. The San Francisco Standard reports that the tires of 17 antithetic Waymo robotaxis were slashed successful the span of lone a period earlier this summer. Now, constabulary judge they person recovered their culprit.

Authorities precocious deed Ronaile Joshua Burton, 36, with vandalism charges, claiming helium is the idiosyncratic liable for the caller tyre massacre. Investigators accidental that Burton was captured connected video committing the crimes via the bevy of cameras that are attached to the vehicles. Ronaile, the accused tyre serial killer, has pled not blameworthy to the charges against him. NBC reports that it is unclear whether Burton presently has ineligible representation.

The District Attorney’s Office says that Burton slashed the tires betwixt June 24 and June 26. “The demolition of different people’s spot volition not spell unaddressed successful San Francisco. People who vandalize spot indispensable beryllium held accountable for their actions,” said DA Brooke Jenkins, in a statement.

Gizmodo reached retired to Waymo for remark and volition update this communicative erstwhile we person a response.

The institution previously told NBC: “We tin corroborate that charges person been brought against the idiosyncratic who aggressively vandalized a fig of Waymo vehicles, immoderate with riders present. Waymo is besides taking steps to retrieve the damages sustained, and mitigate the imaginable for aboriginal events.”

Investigators haven’t yet said what the motive might’ve been for the crimes. That said, galore San Franciscans person made it known that they hatred the caller automated vehicles arsenic if they were an invasive taxon of locusts. Local activists person previously taken action against the cars, utilizing postulation cones to immobilize the vehicles via their question sensors. Last November a section legislator, citing section outrage, promised to wage “legislative guerilla warfare” against the companies down the cars. Earlier this year, it was reported that Waymo’s cars kept glitching successful a peculiar neighborhood, to the immense ire of locals.