The official "Ask a cop/deputy anything!" thread

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by Onesie

You're driving on the highway, and spot a car speeding down the other side. The speed is high enough that you'd normally engage in pursuit to nail the car down.
You can't possibly make a U-turn as the divided highway cannot be crossed until a mile or so down.
You can't read the licence plate, but you got a good look at the car (brand, model, colour) and driver (hair colour, gender, clothes).

Do you call it in so cops go chase on the other side where the car is headed to, or do you just write it off?

I would write that one off for sure. There's nothing I could do about that speeder. Somebody on the other side of the road will call the car in and maybe a highway patrol unit will engage. They love to chase everything.

[Sedan_Clan]

FARO imaging technology is amazing for scanning fatal crashes.

[UncleWede]

You have FARO, but you are still learning equations on a green piece of paper??????

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by UncleWede

You have FARO, but you are still learning equations on a green piece of paper??????

We have maybe ten in the county; most used by our TSD Detectives. FARO maps the scene, but we still need to find the hard values (…e.g….friction rates, initial/ending speeds, skid length, crush, etc.).

[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

We have maybe ten in the county; most used by our TSD Detectives. FARO maps the scene, but we still need to find the hard values (…e.g….friction rates, initial/ending speeds, skid length, crush, etc.).

I didn't realize you guys were all mathematicians. Pretty sure my attention span at this point in life negates any chance of me comprehending those formulas.

Curious though. Years ago my wife was in an auto accident. She was dead stopped on a road where people generally drive 50 in a 45 zone. 2 lanes each way divided by a grass strip. She comes around a corner and is stopped by a worker to allow a piece of heavy equipment to cross in a local construction zone. Broad daylight. No rain. Perfect visibility.

Car behind her is Chevy pickup truck driven by young girl. Apparently her phone held her in fascination and she doesn't look up or touch the brakes as she rams my wife's car from behind. So no skid marks or anything as far as I am aware.

The police report indicated she was moving at over 60 MPH on contact. How do they know or is this a "swag" based on the total destruction of my wife's car?

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

I didn't realize you guys were all mathematicians. Pretty sure my attention span at this point in life negates any chance of me comprehending those formulas.

Curious though. Years ago my wife was in an auto accident. She was dead stopped on a road where people generally drive 50 in a 45 zone. 2 lanes each way divided by a grass strip. She comes around a corner and is stopped by a worker to allow a piece of heavy equipment to cross in a local construction zone. Broad daylight. No rain. Perfect visibility.

Car behind her is Chevy pickup truck driven by young girl. Apparently her phone held her in fascination and she doesn't look up or touch the brakes as she rams my wife's car from behind. So no skid marks or anything as far as I am aware.

The police report indicated she was moving at over 60 MPH on contact. How do they know or is this a "swag" based on the total destruction of my wife's car?

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Doing the math sucks, but it's true. Go math! Lol!

So wait….


….there were no skid marks at all?….not even rubber on the ground from your wife's car (…e.g. a strip, or strips of rubber left on the ground from her depressing the brakes when the impact occurred)? All you need are a few values to start working through the calculation. If the car has an EDR, you'll get speed values pre-crash, brake info, etc. There are also published co-efficient rates for all surfaces (…e.g…asphalt, cement, grass, sand, etc.) or you can use a drag sled to obtain those figures; all decimal. I can go on, but you can calculate it all.

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Doing the math sucks, but it's true. Go math! Lol!

So wait….


….there were no skid marks at all?….not even rubber on the ground from your wife's car (…e.g. a strip, or strips of rubber left on the ground from her depressing the brakes when the impact occurred)? All you need are a few values to start working through the calculation. If the car has an EDR, you'll get speed values pre-crash, brake info, etc. There are also published co-efficient rates for all surfaces (…e.g…asphalt, cement, grass, sand, etc.) or you can use a drag sled to obtain those figures; all decimal. I can go on, but you can calculate it all.

Speaking of EDR's... Do you need a warrant to access the data? How hard is it to get one? If I have a notarized letter stating that I have to give written permission to access the data, does that preclude access?

I have been leery of these devices ever since that girl back East (NH?, VT?) got charged with manslaughter when she lost control, hit a tree and her passenger was killed after hitting black ice. The EDR even showed she wasn't speeding or was traveling too fast for conditions.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

Speaking of EDR's... Do you need a warrant to access the data? How hard is it to get one? If I have a notarized letter stating that I have to give written permission to access the data, does that preclude access?

I have been leery of these devices ever since that girl back East (NH?, VT?) got charged with manslaughter when she lost control, hit a tree and her passenger was killed after hitting black ice. The EDR even showed she wasn't speeding or was traveling too fast for conditions.

We will only need a warrant if we impound the vehicle and then release it to you, but want access to the vehicle post-release. If we impound the vehicle at the scene we don't need a warrant. The car is held as evidence (…22655.5 CVC).

I'm not familiar with the EDR case you're referencing. I'll have to research it. Traveling too fast for the conditions can occur even if you're driving the prima facie limit, but other conditions render the posted speed too fast (…ex: driving the posted speed limit during heavy fog).

[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

Doing the math sucks, but it's true. Go math! Lol!

So wait….


….there were no skid marks at all?….not even rubber on the ground from your wife's car (…e.g. a strip, or strips of rubber left on the ground from her depressing the brakes when the impact occurred)? All you need are a few values to start working through the calculation. If the car has an EDR, you'll get speed values pre-crash, brake info, etc. There are also published co-efficient rates for all surfaces (…e.g…asphalt, cement, grass, sand, etc.) or you can use a drag sled to obtain those figures; all decimal. I can go on, but you can calculate it all.

Well maybe I'm wrong. They said there were no skid marks indicating the girl ever touched her brakes. Perhaps there were marks from my wife's car. Hadn't thought of that.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

Well maybe I'm wrong. They said there were no skid marks indicating the girl ever touched her brakes. Perhaps there were marks from my wife's car. Hadn't thought of that.

If she were stopped and on the brakes, her tires would definitely leave marks if impacted at 60 mph. I'm glad your wife was okay. That was a significant collision.

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

If she were stopped and on the brakes, her tires would definitely leave marks if impacted at 60 mph.

Even with ABS? Does it leave dotted/hopping skidmarks that there's a formula for?

In case it's not clear, I'm asking about skidmarks on the pavement...and not the driver's underwear/seat.....

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

Even with ABS? Does it leave dotted/hopping skidmarks that there's a formula for?

In case it's not clear, I'm asking about skidmarks on the pavement...and not the driver's underwear/seat.....

You've got jokes this early in the morning.

ABS wouldn't be a factor since she is stationary with the brakes depressed. A collision like what you described wouldn't activate ABS. A collision while stationary leaves a dark scrub mark.

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

ABS wouldn't be a factor since she is stationary with the brakes depressed. A collision like what you described wouldn't activate ABS. A collision while stationary leaves a dark scrub mark.

It's after 9 AM on this coast.

I was thinking of the moving car's skidmarks, not the stopped car. For sure the stopped car would not go into ABS mode as long as the driver held the pedal firmly, and is probably a better measure of the moving vehicle's speed when you model a totally elastic collision between two known masses.....

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

It's after 9 AM on this coast.

I was thinking of the moving car's skidmarks, not the stopped car. For sure the stopped car would not go into ABS mode as long as the driver held the pedal firmly, and is probably a better measure of the moving vehicle's speed when you model a totally elastic collision between two known masses.....

Generally speaking, the car that is moving and collides into another object/motor vehicle - without ever applying the brakes - won't leave skid marks. The Crush Formula (CF) is used to determine approximate speed(s) in a situation like the accident you've described.

Some of the experts in the field who teach accident reconstruction have run tests where they have driven cars into other motor vehicles, poles, brick walls, etc. One of the lead guys on this coast has been in over 3000 test accidents.

[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

If she were stopped and on the brakes, her tires would definitely leave marks if impacted at 60 mph. I'm glad your wife was okay. That was a significant collision.

Thanks. Sort of OK. This was years ago and her back has never been the same. Looking like surgery this year if any surgeons think they can help.

When she had the wreck I was 3 miles away eating lunch after golf with a friend. A good Samaritan used her phone to call me and I was there when the ambulance arrived. Scared me to death seeing them put her on a backboard. One funny aspect of the story is to this day she doesn't believe me that I was there. Total blank for that period.

[rwheels]

QaShontae Hosomla Short-Brundidge, ie. Karen, sues Richard Jordan for a bad date. And she wants him to pay $10,000.00 for perjury. Check is in the mail.

[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by rwheels

QaShontae Hosomla Short-Brundidge, ie. Karen, sues Richard Jordan for a bad date. And she wants him to pay $10,000.00 for perjury. Check is in the mail.

That woman is both unstable and stupid. The fact it was one date and done is because she is mental. My guess is when he met her and realized how far gone she was he never called again and that set her off.
\

[rwheels]

Originally Posted by jamesinaz

That woman is both unstable and stupid. The fact it was one date and done is because she is mental. My guess is when he met her and realized how far gone she was he never called again and that set her off.
\

Would be something to be in the courtroom when the judge throws her case out; and possibly her in jail. Guy has good instincts.

[jamesinaz]

Originally Posted by rwheels

Would be something to be in the courtroom when the judge throws her case out; and possibly her in jail. Guy has good instincts.

I was shocked by how tolerant he was of her. She continued to show him no respect at all. I also wonder if the guy being sued could have verbally requested dismissal and judge was waiting for that. he should have asked what the process was.

But pretty sure it's over. When she realizes she got dinged for court costs and the case will die until she pays them I'm guessing she'll go into a rage. If I was the guy I'd watch my 6,

[vreihen16]

FYI, the Manhattan DA has decided to dismiss the murder charge against the bodega worker who stabbed an attacker.

FYI2, Rochester PD has now suspended the police investigator who handcuffed a working EMT at the hospital, while she was unloading a patient from her ambulance for emergency treatment. She allegedly bumped his patrol car when opening the ambulance's door at the dedicated ambulance unloading area, where the patrol car probably never should have been parked in the first place.....

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by vreihen16

FYI, the Manhattan DA has decided to dismiss the murder charge against the bodega worker who stabbed an attacker.

FYI2, Rochester PD has now suspended the police investigator who handcuffed a working EMT at the hospital, while she was unloading a patient from her ambulance for emergency treatment. She allegedly bumped his patrol car when opening the ambulance's door at the dedicated ambulance unloading area, where the patrol car probably never should have been parked in the first place.....

The D.A. got that one right, although charges should've never been brought in the first place.

[Sedan_Clan]

Running skids today….