Accidental Witness

I saw the van hit the little red car, which spun around twice, barely missing 2 cars stopped on the red light in front of me. It came to rest across the on-coming traffic lanes, facing that traffic. The van slowly finished crossing the intersection toward me and pulled over. I pulled into the turning area next to the curb, turned the corner, and parked in front of the van just as the male driver got out.

He was shaking from head to toe, but not hurt, so I suggested he go stand in the shade after directing him to call 9-1-1, and headed toward the other vehicle. From the looks of the little red car, which lost a rear wheel in the spinning, I wasn’t sure that the driver would be able to get out of the car. As I reached the curb, I was amazed to see that traffic was swirling around the accident—and no one stopped to see to the condition and/or safety of the other driver, whose vehicle was across two lanes of on-coming traffic!

I made it to the red car without being injured. The lady, who obviously was as shaken as the male driver, exited her car, and I guided her off the busy street. The police arrived as we made it to the sidewalk, maneuvered their cars into position, and began directing traffic around the scene. They were concerned about the traffic, too, and asked both drivers if they had triple A so they could call for tow trucks to clear the busy intersection. No one was injured, so now it was just filling out the accident report.

I have no idea where the little red car came from: I saw the van begin to cross the intersection to my left and then BAM! it collided with the little red car. Everyone going my direction was on a red light, but I could not see the left-turn light, so perhaps that’s where she was, turning on the left turn arrow.

The male driver of the van told me that she went right through the intersection he was crossing on a green light, which seemed to be my impression as well. There was no other traffic in the intersection at the time of the collision, and I was waiting on a red light, so that made sense. If the cars ahead of me had been moving, they would have been hit by the spinning red car.

That’s what I told the police officers, and I was told I could leave the scene. I expressed amazement that no one else stopped to see how these drivers were, including the 2 cars that narrowly missed being hit by the spinning red car. The officers said they see that all time: it wasn’t my car that got hit, so I’m outta here.

After my scheduled meeting, I came to an intersection similar to the one where the accident had occurred and it dawned on me that while I am convinced the van driver was the victim, not the guilty party, I may not be able to say that without doubt if the collision goes to court. I drew up what I had witnessed, but could not figure out where the heck the driver of the red car had come from—unless it was the turning lane to my left, and she had a green turning arrow I didn’t see.

So, I went to the police department up the street from where the accident occurred, and after waiting for a full 10 minutes for any individual at any of the desks in the area to notice me and ask me why I was standing there, someone asked if they could help me. I explained that I wanted to amend my witness statement to the accident at 10:00 am and named the intersection. That threw her for a loss, so it took another 10 minutes before she told me I could write it up, sign it, and she’d give it to the officers when they checked in.

Just then, the 2 female officers who were at the accident scene walked into the building. I greeted them, and then explained that I wanted to clarify my witness statement. They were in the middle of something, asked me to sit and wait for them, and returned in about 5 minutes.

As I was explaining my confusion about the red car, in walked the driver of the little red car, who immediately noticed me and thanked me for coming over to her vehicle and helping her to get out of the street.

Based on the conversation I was sharing with the officers, they asked her some questions and she pretty much admitted that the car in front of her, a white car, applied his brakes. Because she thought she was going to rear-end him, she swerved around him to cross the intersection—on a red light, according to the officer who explained the light sequence at that intersection. The van driver was on a green light the other way and did not cause the accident, which is also verified by the damage to the little red car, according to the officers.

The officers also clarified that she was across the intersection from me, coming toward me, which is why, I guess, I didn't see her until the van hit her--on the passenger side--and spun her toward those of us waiting for the light to turn green.

Now it’s up to the insurance companies. The driver of the red car is sure she didn’t cause the accident, but the driver of the van, I, and the police officers all believe she did, so I hope that evidence prevails and I don’t have to appear in court!