SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) — A Burlingame man who was shot by three South San Francisco police officers earlier this month pleaded not guilty to robbery charges on Thursday, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office.
Ronald Dinges, 56, was released from the hospital on Wednesday and arraigned on Thursday on charges of robbery and obstructing officers in the performance of their duties, prosecutors said.
Three officers fired multiple shots at Dinges after he allegedly pointed a replica firearm at them while the officers were responding to a report of a bank robbery, according to prosecutors. One shot struck Dinges in the abdomen, causing injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
Officers responded on Feb. 5 at 10:12 a.m. to a report of a robbery at the San Mateo Credit Union at 150 El Camino Real, according to police. Dinges entered the bank wearing a facemask and goggles and carrying a replica firearm that looked like a real gun, prosecutors said.
Dinges allegedly demanded cash from several tellers, who emptied their drawers, netting only $900, prosecutors said. Dinges then allegedly demanded a teller take him to a vault, which the bank manager opened, and Dinges began grabbing handfuls of cash totaling $23,740, according to prosecutors.
Meanwhile, someone had triggered a silent alarm and officers began arriving as Dinges was leaving the bank, prosecutors said. South San Francisco police officers ordered Dinges to drop his gun, but prosecutors allege Dinges pointed it at the officers instead.
Three officers fired multiple shots at Dinges, striking him once, according to prosecutors. Police identified the officers as Sgt. Ken Hancock, a 20-year veteran of the department, Officer Robert Reinosa, an 11-year veteran, and Officer John Bower, a 16-year veteran. They were placed on paid administrative leave while the district attorney’s office investigates the case, police said.
Emergency medical personnel transported Dinges to San Francisco General Hospital, where he underwent surgery, police said.
Dinges has no prior criminal record, according to prosecutors. His next court date is scheduled for Feb. 25 at 9 a.m. at South San Francisco Superior Court for a preliminary hearing, and his bail was set at $250,000.
One of the officers who was involved in the shooting also shot a different suspect less than a year ago. On Aug. 30, Hancock responded to a report of a man sitting with a shotgun near the corner of Del Monte and Romney avenues.
When officers arrived, they ordered the man, identified as 55-year-old Mike Gordon, to stay seated, but police said the man got up and started walking toward the officers. Gordon pointed the shotgun at Hancock, who fired a single shot, hitting Gordon in the side, according to police.
Gordon recovered from his wounds, and investigators found Gordon had previously attempted suicide and was trying to provoke police to kill him. He pleaded no contest to two felonies in exchange for a referral for mental health services.