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Suspect in BART Killing Is in Hospital, Misses Court Appearance

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A train approaches the station at the San Leandro BART station on March 13, 2024. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)

The man accused of killing a woman by pushing her into a BART train last week did not appear at his arraignment Monday morning because he was in the hospital, according to the San Francisco public defender’s office.

The arraignment is set to continue Tuesday, but a spokesperson for the public defender’s office said Monday that he likely won’t be well enough to go to court. He is in the hospital for a mental health issue, the San Francisco Standard reported.

Trevor Belmont, 49, faces charges of murder and elder abuse in connection with the alleged attack on a 74-year-old woman waiting at the Powell Street Station late on July 1. Around 11 p.m., Belmont reportedly pushed the victim, San Mateo County resident Corazon Dandan, into the path of a southbound train, causing her to hit her head and fall onto the platform.

BART Police officers and paramedics administered aid before Dandan was transferred to San Francisco General Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead as a result of her injuries, including severe head wounds.

Belmont, who is also known as Hoak Taing, was arrested on the platform following the event, BART Police said in a statement. He was booked on the morning of July 2 and is currently in custody at the San Francisco General Hospital, according to SF sheriff’s office records.

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The criminal complaint filed by the district attorney’s office alleges that Belmont inflicted great bodily harm on the “vulnerable” victim and intentionally killed her while lying in wait. He has previously been charged in multiple criminal cases in San Francisco dating back to 2007, according to San Francisco Superior Court data.

Belmont’s arraignment was originally scheduled for Friday afternoon but was continued to Monday morning, and again to Tuesday morning, after he did not appear. Angela Chan, a spokesperson for the public defender’s office, said in a statement to KQED that it isn’t likely he will appear in court tomorrow, either.

“Mr. Belmont is in the hospital. It doesn’t appear he will be well enough to go to court tomorrow,” she said via email.

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