The Police Report On My Auto Accident Came Out

The police report on my auto accident came out. Here are two pages from the report.

I've made additions to the reconstruction diagram in order to show my idea as well as the California Highway Patrol's idea.

On the plus side, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) cop blamed unsafe speed for the accident. On the minus side, the cop's reconstruction of the accident doesn't match what I told him. By itself, that's probably a minor point. The cop was trying to reconstruct the spin of my car, and either his or my reconstruction works for that.

Nevertheless, there are some puzzles regarding the cop's reconstruction. That outer lane indicated in the drawing (E-5) is a new lane: The onbound lane onto the freeway from Harbor Blvd. and the exit lane for Jefferson Blvd. Mr. Jimenez stated I had been dogging the woman's truck, with unnecessary braking, for half a mile, then suddenly braked for no good reason, causing him to run into me. But, I doubt there is half a mile of E-5 lane between Harbor Blvd. and the accident site. If I was driving erratically, why didn't he try to go around me? And why was I in lane E-5 anyway? There was no reason for me to be there. As I told the cop at the scene, there was no offset. I was directly behind the woman's truck. And how did Mr. Jimenez obliterate the back of my car unless he had been traveling very fast? (I'm thinking 90 mph at a minimum, but it could have been 100 mph, 110 mph, or even faster.)

Part of the reason the cop may have been confused is that I told him I was in the right lane. I didn't mean the new right lane, E5, but the old right lane, E4. In the confusion, I didn't realize E5 was there. Even simple accidents can be chaotic.

I think Mr. Jimenez tried to move into the E-5 lane and go around me, but he was traveling so fast he couldn't manage it. Noteworthy too was the cop describes conditions as wet. I didn't think it was wet. Rain was just starting. Interpretations can vary on this point. There is no indication alcohol was involved in the accident.

A close reading makes it clear that Mr. Jimenez lied to the cop about my actions, his own speed, and his own actions, likely to avoid a citation and the blame. His insurance company, State Farm, has accepted liability, however. But no citation was issued. Maybe the cop figured Mr. Jimenez had had a bad enough day already, and maybe learned a lesson. But I'm still angry. Mr. Jimenez nearly-killed two people, cause thousands of dollars of damage, and lied about what he did.

The conclusion is inescapable: Raymond Emil Jimenez is a liar.

I was startled by the sudden appearance of the headlights closing so rapidly behind me. I don't think the vehicle had been there. I think the eastbound vehicle moved from the center lane (E3) into the right lane (E4). I was struck right of center, so vehicle may have been moving into the freeway's new right lane (E5; Harbor onbound; Jefferson exit), and would have succeeded if it had been going 80 mph, but couldn't execute at 90-100+ mph. My car's final freeway resting place was here (38.574937°, -121.539045°).