Witnessing a hit and run accident, and giving chase

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
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My disclaimer: always follow the law. Do not do what I describe here. There are risks, perhaps possible grave risks.

I was relating this to my mom in an email, and thought I’d share it here and see if there are others out there who’ve done something similar.

During my motorcycle riding days, from time to time I would think that I’d want to be a motorcycle cop. I was certain that nobody could escape me. I was pretty confident in my riding abilities.

So… I’ve twice chased a hit-and-run driver. Once while on the bike, and once in my Jeep.

(1)

Once about 10 years ago on the motorcycle with my wife riding on the back seat, we witnessed a pickup truck run a red light to try and get around a street trolley. The trolley hit the pickup truck (at low speed). The truck took off and was running away.

I thought to myself, Oh no you don’t, not on my watch. I gave chase.

Mindful of my wife on the back seat I was extra careful, and while the guy was quickly getting away, there was no way in hell he was going to get away from me. We caught up to him and I got his license plate and a description of the driver, but I maintained a safe distance. I then backed off and was going to call 9-1-1 but just then we saw a San Jose PD car driving fast, chasing after him. I flagged him down and gave him the license plate and descriptions of the vehicle and the driver. And that was the end of that. He took off after him. No idea if they ever caught him, but at least they had the description.

(2)

Another time was on an afternoon commute home from work on US-101 southbound in the Jeep, in Palo Alto, while I was on the phone with my wife. This was before covid, because I have pictures that are dated. I have the exact date. Traffic was slow/go, stop/go. Directly in front of me I witnessed a minor rear end collision. Very minor, in the heavy traffic. The cars pulled to the right to exchange information, and I was pulling over too, to give my info to the drivers as a witness. Suddenly the at-fault driver swooped left and took off in the car pool lane (where traffic was moving fast).

I thought to myself, Oh no you don’t, not on my watch. I gave chase.

Still on the phone with my wife, I was giving her the play-by-play. She reminded me to call 9-1-1, which I did. That operator asked me for a description of the vehicle and I was able to give that. Easy: a light green Prius. When she asked for the license plate I said Give me a minute, I’m catching up to him.

She said, You’re giving chase??!! She said, No, do NOT chase him! I told her I’d be fine. She kept telling me to stop but I kept reassuring her that I would not put myself in danger. Or others.

I passed some cars on the median. After a minute or three I caught up to him and gave her the plate number. And that was pretty much the end of that call.

As I had been approaching him, I was mindful of strategy and tactics. I made sure I had an out, even in traffic, in case he tried to attack me. He might have been armed, I don’t know. I know I’m not trained for this, but I did my best. When you’re an MSF instructor, rule #1 is always be safe. I applied that here.

Now what? I’m off the phone and I stayed with him, and he clearly didn’t like it but he didn’t try anything foolish, and I maintained my out. Sometimes one out, sometimes two or more depending on the situation.

After some time he pulled to the right onto the shoulder and stopped. I pulled over also, and stopped behind him. I put the Jeep in reverse, in case he tried anything.

I took my phone out of its mount and began shooting in burst mode. If he had a gun and was able to shoot me, at least I’d have some pictures. Throughout this whole thing if I had any inkling at all that he was armed, I was going to leave ASAP.

Still with the Jeep in reverse but stopped, I had my left foot on the brake and right foot hovering over the gas pedal, ready to go in case it was needed. Gotta love those backup cameras (I can drive somewhat fast-ish with it). With the phone in my left hand, I had the steering wheel in my right hand, ready to go.

In case he had a gun, I was ready to duck down low and reverse out of there while watching the camera. (Now this I have not practiced. Perhaps I will.)

He got out of his car and approached. I watched his hands carefully the entire time and was ready to drive away. I cracked my window a little so we could talk, but he never said anything. He approached the Jeep, stood briefly beside the driver’s window, but he did nothing and said nothing. I simply said, I got you, I got you, while holding up my phone camera. No swearing. Just polite and firm, I got you. After about 3 seconds he walked back to his car and drove off.

And that was the end of that. I never heard from the police about the accident, but I hope the perpetrator was made to pay for the damage he caused to the other car. And I hope he got in trouble for fleeing the accident.

Does anyone have a similar story? Ever been hit? Ever given chase?

Below are a few pictures I took of the guy. They’re redacted, but if anyone knows this guy (probably from San Jose CA) then you’d likely recognize him from these.

[Album] Hit-and-run driver caught, reported
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I did once about 4 years ago. Any prior events are lost in the mists of time.

I was leaving the grocery store for home. Broadly speaking there were two routes: drive about 2 miles on a 45-55 mph main drag followed by 1 mile on the intersecting main drag, or dribble through the residential neighborhood within that quadrant of the two main drags’ intersection at 25 mph accomplishing the same distance with less freneticism and more shade.

I chose Door #2 that day. And promptly after entering the residential area I caught up to an utterly drunk driver ahead of me. One lane each way residential, no curbs, no parallel-parked cars. This guy was up on the lawn on the left, the right, back to the left, etc. Somehow he’s not hit a tree. Yet. Going 20ish the whole time. With me nearby behind but staying in my lane. No other cars around.

I call 911 & give them the situation and our ever-evolving location. A running narration to 911 ensues as this guy outperforms every drunk I’ve ever seen or thought about being. Wow; I gotta think he could barely see. And there I am 100 feet behind telling 911 what’s going on. As he careens like a clown car over hill and dale, still somehow missing the plentiful trees.

Eventually he emerges out of the neighborhood and turns right onto the main drag. And promptly comes to a halt behind a police car stopped at a light in heavy traffic, With me right behind him. He’s sandwiched. I tell 911 what’s going on but even with the vehicle number off the cop car they can’t figure out how to contact that officer.

The light changes, we go and at the next corner the oblivious cop goes straight ahead, and Mr Wasto turns right into a different residential area. With me in 100’ distant “hot” pursuit at 20 mph. I’m still talking to 911. The guy continues a bit and pulls off into a street-side arking lot of a condo building. I slowly cruise past, keeping my eye on him as I do. He staggers out of the car, retrieves a suitcase of beer from the back seat and slowly & wobblingly enters the building. Meanwhile I double back and parallel park a hundred yards or so down the road where I can keep surveillance on his car out of his presumed line of sight. Of course I’m still on the horn w 911 explaining all this as it’s happening.

A bit after I park 911 says they found an officer and he’s responding. I tell 911 where to find me and how to identify me. Cop pulls up behind me, gets out of his car as I wave at him. I tell him what I know and he nods, thanks me for my concern, and says he’s got it from here. I tell 911 and we hang up. The drunk is apparently a frequent flyer with them. Cop drives onwards to block the guy’s car in the lot with his car, gets out, and heads into the building. Apparently he knows which apartment is the drunk’s; I sure don’t. I drive off.

Oddly satisfying, and oddly not.

The fact the guy was that wasted and was still buying more beer is the best part overall. But the low-speed “pursuit” had me thinking of the OJ case the whole time. Who knew you could be a fleeing suspect at 20mph. And foil the police doing it. :wink:

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I have twice called 911 to report very erratically-driven cars right in front of me, so bad that I thought it was only a matter of time before they hit something or someone. Both times, I provided license plate info and the make, model and color of the other vehicle, where we were and our direction of travel. Both times, unfortunately, there weren’t any officers near enough to respond before I had to go on my way.

I also once reported a parked car with what looked like a Sovereign Citizen license plate on it. The lack of interest by the police dispatcher was palpable.

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@Bullit, you seem like a cool guy. I love your threads and posts.

This reminds me so much of my Daddy. The Marine drill instructor who thought it was his job to cure the world of ne’er-do-wells and jokers(his word).

He spent a significant time watching what was happening around him. And reporting to whom it concerned if he felt things were amiss.
He followed bad drivers and a hit and run, at least once that I know of. I was always afraid he was gonna get in a road rage confrontation. And get beat up or killed.
I begged him not to do that. That’s what police were for. And a fender bender will be covered by the hit cars insurance, I’m pretty sure.

Don’t do that.
I worry for you.

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@Beckdawrek I’m not a fighter. Never was. I avoid them like the covid. Thanks for your sentiments!

The Marines: your best friend, and your worst enemy.

:slight_smile:

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Ok. Good.

Be safe out there.

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The most memorable time I called 911 about another driver, I was a passenger in the car with my family and we saw someone hightailing it past us on the freeway, weaving in and out of her lane. I’d gotten the license number, but the operator told me that several other drivers had reported the same car and she didn’t need it. We were driving north between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, a route that traverses three counties and two pueblos, so we were traveling through a number of jurisdictions. We didn’t try to keep up with her, since we were pretty sure she was going to hit someone, but as we came over a hill, we saw her - upside down on the shoulder! Miraculously, not only did she not hit anyone else, she wasn’t badly hurt. Three cops arrived at about the same time - one county sheriff, one tribal officer, and one state police - and we gave our names and contact information to the nearest one and then took off.

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@LSLGuy that’s gotta be aggravating, at least it is to me, that the cops know that drunk very well. If he’s such a frequent flyer, then why doesn’t he have frequent flyer miles in jail? Rhetorical question.

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My wife was hit by a hit and run guy. She was driving and fortunately unhurt. The damage was $2,500. The guy was eventually caught and fined by the court to reimburse my wife for the repair costs — at the rate of $50 a month. Ridiculous.

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When I was a kid (9 or 10) my dad took me to a Pirates baseball game at Three Rivers Stadium. We took a bus from home to downtown Pittsburgh, then walked across the bridge over the Allegheny River. It was crowded.

Out of absolutely nowhere, my dad started sprinting away from me. He tackled a guy to the ground and pinned him down. I was shocked, as were all the people standing around watching this happen.

Turns out my dad had seen the guy pick someone’s pocket. Eventually a cop arrived. The guy got his wallet back, my dad made a statement, and the pickpocket was taken in handcuffs.

The Pirates lost. It was the beginning of the end for Steve Blass.

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Your dad was brave… or foolhardy. Maybe both.

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50-60 years ago the world was a mostly different place.

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No.
Do not.
Instead, stay with the victim, call an ambulance, & give first aid.

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I once saw a guy walk out of a store with a six pack of beer, get into the driver’s seat, open one of the beers, and take a sip. He appeared to then put it down in the cupholder as he backed out of the parking lot.

I was just stunned for a moment-- not that someone would be that stupid, but that he’d be so stupid about it. I called 911, and reported it, gave them his license number, his location, and the street he was signaling to turn onto.

I went the other direction, but within 30 seconds, I heard sirens, and saw a patrol car going down the street the way the soon-to-be drunk driver had been going.

Recently, I was involved in kind of a reverse hit and run. I accidentally tapped a guy’s bumper at a stoplight-- I was coming up behind him as the light turned green, and watching the cars in front all pull out, and not paying attention to the fact that he wasn’t. My fault-- not saying anything different.

But what happened next was weird. He jumped out, took a fast look at the cars, and got back into his car, and floored it.

I pulled over, and looked at my car. Not a dent-- not even a scrape. His car was much bigger than mine, so I’m assuming it was the same for him, but the way he pulled out was funny. Unless he was really determined to make the light.

Later, it occurred to me he might be uninsured, or have a suspended license, or something, and really didn’t want me to insist on calling the police.

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Depending on which state you’re in, that is normal, or at least exceedingly common, driver behavior. The fact 911 actually acted on your info suggests you were not in one of those states.

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Yep. I’m in western Pennsylvania where I commonly see people climb into their vehicle (often a pickup) and crack a cold one. I’d never think to call 911, so I have no idea if they’d pursue the matter.

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Beer 'n pickups go together like … well … beer 'n pickups.

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And drive-through liquor stores.

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Once, many years ago, I stopped at a stop sign behind another car, which backed up into mine at low speed, then drove off. In disbelief, I followed him for a few blocks at about 25 mph, honking my horn and waving at him.

He eventually pulled over as did I. He turned out to be an elderly dim bulb who was annoyed at my insisting he stop. There was no significant damage to either vehicle so we went our separate ways.

I still remember his name, Alphonse G___.

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Oh, THAT is purposely using one’s car in anger! Alphonse needs some anger management classes.