[sageofages]

Originally posted by SAEalumnus
So... last night I'm on the freeway on my way home when I see a car pass me on the right (it was in the slow lane) traveling .... and this is no exaggeration... **at least** 100 mph. I start slowing down figuring an accident is imminent.

Sure enough, this 'low-altitude aircraft' loses control while attempting to brake, spins out, hits the guard rail on the right shoulder protecting the overpass over the street below, and comes to rest stradling both my lane and the slow lane. I put my hazard lights on and slow along with the rest of traffic, coming to a stop behind the now-disabled vehicle and called 911 from my cell phone. When it was clear, I then pulled over to the shoulder, parked, and waited in my car for the CHP to arrive, intending to offer my information as a witness and to be sure the driver of the other car was not injured or worse.

While I'm sitting in my car... with my hazard lights still going... another car traveling too fast to avoid anything ends up colliding with my parked car (its right front corner hit my left front wheel and surrounding body panels), causing this other vehicle to spin out, coming to rest on the shoulder facing me. The car then pulls a u-turn from the shoulder and flees the scene!

Here's where the story gets really funny.

The hit-and-run vehicle that collided with my car ended up leaving behind a souvenir for me and the CHP: its license plate including license plate frame! The CHP traced the plate and paid a visit to the owner's residence, finding the vehicle with a missing license plate and fresh damage including some nice "winning blue metallic" paint transfers that suspiciously match the color of my car!

The woman who hit and ran was reportedly very apologetic to the CHP and admitted that she was in the vicinity of where the accident took place, that she spun out, and that she hit "something," but gave some b.s. excuse about thinking that she had only hit a wall or guard rail or something and not another vehicle ("otherwise [she] would have stopped"). The cops decided not to press charges against her for hit and run, believing she had no criminal or otherwise malicious intent.

It's amazing how a brand new (8 months and 2 days old), bright blue car with flashing hazard lights could be mistaken for a wall or guard rail. So now I get to wait for the police report to get any of her information. Meanwhile, my car got towed due to an impact involving one of the wheels.

Getting passed by the batmobile doing 100+ mph: $0
Having your car taken to a tow yard: $30 (per day, storage)
Having to get a rental car: $250 (deposit)
Getting your car repaired: $500 (deductible)
Having to wait for any further information: 2-3 weeks
Becoming a victim of a hit-and-run collision while trying to be a "Good Samaritan" and be a witness for another accident: Priceless!

Ok ok...How long after the accident did they get to her? Makes me think she was OWI or something. When I was in HS in Redlands, CA in 1976-1977, a girl who was in my "crowd" was hit by a guy in a van as she was walking along side the road. The guy left the scene. He was lit at the time he hit her ;(. When the police caught up with him, he said he thought he "hit a palm tree" so he didn't stop. Yes he was prosecuted & convicted.

On top of it, even in a mild rear impact collision I was pretty shaken up and had really sore muscles and bruises, but I didn't feel a thing until the next day or so. I was stiff for a week or ten days and had to curtail activities ;(.

Talk to the prosecutor's office yourself, and if no satisfaction, get a lawyer and persue civil remedies.