Newspaper vendor dies of attack injuries - San Francisco Chronicle

A Chronicle newspaper vendor has died of injuries he suffered in an attack last month in downtown San Francisco, police said Monday.

Dallas Ayers, 78, was standing near Market and Montgomery streets about 11 a.m. Jan. 28 when someone approached him on foot, threw him to the ground and fled on Market, police said. Ayers suffered hip injuries and died Thursday at a hospital.

Police are treating the case as a homicide, said Officer Albie Esparza, a department spokesman. "He basically dropped him to the pavement," Esparza said.

Ayers sold Chronicles for about 30 years, most recently behind the Peet's Coffee shop near the Montgomery BART Station, said Kenny Kim, a single-copy manager at The Chronicle. Ayers typically got there at 5 a.m., took a lunch break and resumed selling papers until about 7:30 p.m.

"All the people who bought papers from him liked him," Kim said. "He had a great personality."

Ayers hurt his hip in an accident about two years ago and got numerous get-well cards from his customers, said Dave Ellis, business representative for Teamsters Local 853, the union that represents vendors.

James Miller Jr., 24, of San Francisco said he considered Ayers his godfather. Miller has since taken over Ayers' job selling papers.

"It hurts," Miller said of Ayers' death. "He was a very good man, caring, helped others in need, honest, trustworthy."

Miller said Ayers' attacker may have robbed him, because Ayers' wallet was missing when police returned his effects. Esparza said the police report described the incident only as a battery.

"All I can assume is that the guy probably bumped into him, took his wallet and took off," Miller said. "Right now, I'm just really angry about what happened."

No arrest has been made in the attack. The assailant was described as a white man with a full beard, 35 to 40 years old, 5 feet 9 inches tall, last seen wearing a sweater, blue jeans and black shoes.

Also Monday, police said they were investigating an unrelated homicide in the Ocean View neighborhood.

Lawrence Collins, 20, of San Francisco was shot in the head about 7:05 p.m. Friday on the 600 block of Capitol Avenue. No arrest has been made.

Henry K. Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: hlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @henryklee