Posted by VaLeNTiNo_ReD on October 24, 2007 at 10:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)

lol Oh My God...havesumcents...were you there at the time of the accident? or are we just making assumptions...you havesumcents...some! not sum!

Posted by sincerelyCRITICIZED on October 24, 2007 at 11:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)

where does it say anything about a cell phone??? havesumcents you have no sense..

Posted by prophet on October 24, 2007 at 1:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Maybe just maybe that officer was driving a bit too fast I know sounds crazy. I have seen OPD officers on their cell phones while driving also flirting with citizens while on duty. I wish I could work for IA and nail some of these bad officers and just keep the good ones who actually try to enforce the law.

Posted by cisco1315 on October 24, 2007 at 7:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Females + Cars= Accidents

Posted by EGARCIA on October 24, 2007 at 11:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Let me get straight to the point. NO "that" officer was not driving fast, get the facts before making erroneous comments. Ms.Sanchez made a serious error in judgement while driving and now a very dedicated police officer faces an excruciating road to recovery. Those are the facts.People make stupid mistakes I forgive Ms. Sanchez for seriously injuring my husband. I'm glad she went home to her family. I truly hope she is remorseful for the pain and worry she has caused to my kids and myself. Do not be quick to blame police officers. Get the truth before you make stupid assumptions.

Posted by AnnaWhaat on October 25, 2007 at 6:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)

low_amps2 ,ROFL almost lost my coffee there !!!!!
EGARCIA,I do hope your husband recovers fully and is doing ok. But it still doesn't say how fast he was going. It could be she thought she had time to make the turn and he was going above the speed limit and they she quite make it. But then again those are assumptions since I wasn't there and you weren't there we wont know until the investigation is over.

Posted by botnful on October 25, 2007 at 9 a.m. (Suggest removal)

AnnaWhaat -

Thinking that "you had time to make the turn" absolutely does not absolve you from fault if you make a left turn in front of somebody. Every driver that makes a left turn in front of another vehicle thinks "they had enough time".
When making a left turn, you are impeding the right-of-way of the oncoming traffic. You are at fault unless other factors are proven, such as grossly negligent speed or DUI on the part of the other driver. Since this crash was at 8 am on a weekday, I doubt anyone was speeding in that manner.
God bless Officer Garcia and I, for one, am praying that he gets back to work quickly.

Posted by josess on October 25, 2007 at 9:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)

in this case i think the officer was at fault. 95% of the time police officers are on the phone. In a number of occasions ive seen where they almost hit pedestrians or tailgating other cars. how can you take the law serious when the worst violators are themselves. I respect law enforcement because the majority of my family is in it. All i can say is police officer or not take responsibility for your own actions dont try to blame others just because you have authority. because of our taxes you have a job. remember that.

Posted by EGARCIA on October 25, 2007 at 10:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I do know the facts of what happened. Given all the witness statements this accident WAS NOT CAUSED BY A POLICE OFFICER.Talk about personal responsibility, my husband would be out of a job if more people in our society did just that. This accident could have been worse if my husband had been driving at above the speed limit. I should know better than to read a lot of these comments. So I will get back to supporting my husband and making sure my kids get through this. What's done is done now as a responsible wife and mother I will get back to taking care of my family. I should have known that common sense does not prevail in most of these comments.

Posted by ssannicolas on October 25, 2007 at 4:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

What's so crazy is that I was right in back of the cop car , I pulled up jumped out of my car and ran to the police officers car, I seen a man there and he yelled GO DIRECT TRAFFIC SO THE AMBULANCE HAS ROOM TO GET IN HERE...So I think I have some stuff to say: The Cop just pulled out of the drive way of the city yard on Wolley and probably like that lady was getting ready for another day of work. Not thinking that in less that 60 seconds his life would be impacted by a bad accident cop went through the intersection was going 35 .. 40 max not one was speeding , was not on the phone nor was that lady. I believe that lady thought the officer was going to stop because she was in the middle ready to turn and light was yellow I am not defending either just tell you how I seen it happen.... Allot of people passing by and did nothing same thing happening for allot of things these days. We have the freedom of speech and you all are exercising that right but how many of us are doing anything to help our fellow neighbor out, you know to many people turning there heads to allot but yet have such an opinion to share with the world on how they see things.. my prayers are with both families.

Posted by jwallace on October 25, 2007 at 8:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Hmmm... (flipping pages) Let me see here...

21801(a) California Vehicle Code: "The driver of a vehicle intending to turn to the left or complete a U-turn upon a highway, or turn left into a public or private property, or an alleyway, SHALL YIELD the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction.... and shall continue to yield the right-of-way to approaching vehicles until the left turn or U-turn can be made with reasonable safety."

Quote from article: "... the SUV was traveling east on Wooley Road about 8 a.m. and turned left onto Pacific Avenue in front of the police car."

Gee, I may not be Perry Mason but it sounds like that was the cause of the accident.

(looking through the vehicle code) Hmm... For all the home-schooled lawyers out there: where's the vehicle code section for talking on a cellphone while driving? Funny thing is, there isn't one! At least, not an enforcable one until June 2008. Doesn't really matter anyway, because neither party was using one at the time of the collision.

Josess, I did a Google search but I couldn't find the National Traffic and Highway Safety Administration report that states that 95% of all police officers talk on the phone while driving. Are the remaining 5% that *don't* talk on cell phones the majority of your family? My, how it must be difficult to live up to their shining, perfect example, huh?

By the way, for those who don't know, the top five causes (in no particular order) of accidents in the State of California (and this *is* documented) are:

1. Red light violations
2. Left turns in front of on coming traffic
3. Tailgating
4. Unsafe Lane Change
5. Speed (as a factor contributing to the collision)

I'm friends with Garcia and I work with him. It's a shame that he's out on injury after returning to work recently from severe shoulder surgery to repair an injury caused by an on-duty incident. EGARCIA, I'm glad he's okay. I wish him well. And I hope he returns to duty soon when he's able.

Ms Sanchez. I don't know what your thinking was - turning in front of an on-coming car - but I'm glad you weren't severely injured as well. I'm sure you meant no ill-will and it may have been merely momentary poor judgement. Either way, good luck to you.

Sometimes, guys, an accident is just an accident. Maybe that's why most people call them that...

Oh, and Josess, your taxes not only pay our salary but they also pay for many other things - including Social Security and disability. Some people are "disabled" and collect Social Security. Some of those people are bad people and use drugs. You pay taxes, therefore, you paid for their drugs.

What's your point? Next time think before you say something that makes us all laugh.

Posted by AnnaWhaat on October 26, 2007 at 6:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

botnful ,I agree.I guess to the wife I was just explaining different things that could have caused it. But your right it doesn't make the one turning left not guilty.......and by my typo's I dont think I was quite awake LOL.
EGARCIA , Your right alot of comments will just make you upset. Probably better not to read them and take care of your spouse and children. I will pray for your family........
ssannicolas ,Thankyou for your comment ! That does give more info about the accident. And Thankyou for helping!!!! But with the way you say it happened it leans towards to Officers fault. If the light was yellow and she was already in the intersection.....he should have yielded to her to complete her turn.

Vehicle code 21801 DID NOT say anything about someone who was already in the middle of the intersection?? Obviously if she hadn't started the turn yet she would be at fault.BUT your article you posted didn't say that???? Is there another code?

Posted by gramagracie on October 26, 2007 at 8:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Bravo JWallace..well said. Our tax dollars are well spent in paying your salary but not the habits of the "disabled" drug users who get money because they are "disabled", a disability they brought upon themselves.

Thanks for the read on the vehicle code...kinda scary that some drivers are unaware when a vehicle has the right of way. It really doesn't matter to the cop haters anyway, like I have said before, GIVE OPD THE WEEK OFF AND YOU "COP HATERS" TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS.

EGarcia, hope Martin gets better soon, tell him gracie and dANO say hi, and our prayers are with your family.

Posted by AnnaWhaat on October 26, 2007 at 7:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)

gramagracie,WHAT!!!!!!!
Who is a cop hater???? Just because someone thinks maybe its another persons fault in an accident makes them a cop hater!! PLEASE..............
I know that when your already in the darn intersection the other driver needs to stop and wait and wait for you to make your turn. Before you stuck in the middle of the darn road.......

Posted by Goodfella on October 27, 2007 at 9:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

AnnaWhaat, once again you are wrong, as in most of your comments. The person making the turn must yeild to on coming taffic....On coming traffic does not need to yeild to someone in the middle of a signaled intersection who is preparing for a turn? When you are crossing through an intersection on a green light, do you stop for cars making a left turn in front of you? If you do your probably the one at fault when someone rear ends you.

Posted by AnnaWhaat on October 27, 2007 at 5:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

NO NO NO ! OK Lets say the light is green and your going straight, then when your in the middle of the intersection it turns yellow....which means its gonna turn red pretty darn quick and your gonna get hit by the traffic coming from the other direction. You have to finish your turn on a yellow , in which the other drive straight ahead would have a red light.
I am not talking arrows.
LOL
And Carlos , I mean John , you are pretty rude with your remarks aren't ya !!! What you want to just sucker punch my comment with a remark like that ?????

Posted by AnnaWhaat on October 29, 2007 at 5:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

ok never mind , no one is understanding what I am saying....
Thanks for all who tried....

Posted by janabanana71 on October 30, 2007 at 9:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Having worked in the Traffic Division of OPD several years ago, I can tell you that, as JWallace pointed out, people making left turns in front of oncoming traffic truly IS one of the most common causes of collisions, be they injury or non-injury. AnnaWhaat, if you are in the middle of the intersection and the light turns yellow while you are there, you are not going to be cited if you complete your left turn if the light turns red and you haven't been able to go due to oncoming traffic. To assume you have to complete the turn, regardless of oncoming traffic, before the light turns red wouldn't make sense. How many times, when you are proceding straight, have you gone thru the yellow light to try and avoid the red? And don't say never, because I know that would be false. We ALL do it. How would you feel if, as you were going to go thru that yellow, if someone turned left right in front of you? My guess is that you would be ready to sue them for the damages and injury (real or imagined)they caused because they caused the accident. So tell me, what's the difference in this case? Is it because a police officer was involved? That's just not fair and I think you know that! I think from now on, AnnaWhaat, you really should think about what you say before you put it out there for everyone to see.

EGARCIA: I worked with Martin in the Traffic Division...tell him I hope he gets better really quickly!

Posted by AnnaWhaat on October 31, 2007 at 6:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

havesumcents ,As well as I and many others do NOT understand yours at all............

janabanana71 ,Obviously you didn't understand my comment either and right now Im really not in the mood to explain it all again.........
And please DO NOT accuse me of siding with anyone ! I dont care if it was a cop or the president. I am not anti-cop as you seem to think. So lets get that straight..... I have relatives on the force that do a great job everyday....I pray for them daily. My grandfather was one of the first sheriffs here......So please do not make assumptions I am siding with someone because an Officer was involved because I'm not.... My prayers are with him..........I hope he makes a full recovery for any injuries he recieved. And I thank him for getting up each day and protecting our citizens !!!!!!!!

Posted by janabanana71 on October 31, 2007 at 10:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Goodfella, just so ya know...it's rare, extremely rare, when a person who stops in traffic for a car turning in front of them would be at fault for being rear-ended by the car behind them. We are all responsible to know our surroundings. If the car in front of us stops for any reason, including the invisible squirrel running across the road, it's OUR responsibility to remain a safe distance from that car and to proceed at a speed that would keep us from slamming into that car.

So many people misunderstand the law. I understand that sometimes it seems unfair, but it is what it is.

Posted by AnnaWhaat on October 31, 2007 at 3:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

OK since NO one understands......this is what I am saying. ok four way red lights ok. North and south. Not the ones with arrows... THe woman is going South and has emerged into the traffic a bit over the crosswalk waiting for the northbound traffic to go in order to turn left. But then the light changes and she is in the middle of the road. Everyone that was going North should see her there and allow her to proceed with her turn...IF Not she is subject to getting hit by the east and west bound traffic.......now I see this happen all the time !!!! Maybe its illegal....I dont know. But I would think if she was already in the road turning left he would wait before proceeding. I hope this clarify's my thoughts. I am not blaming anyone here !!!!!!! Just wondering how it happened. Thankyou !!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by jwallace on November 1, 2007 at 12:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)

AnnaWhaat,

At an intersection with no left turn arrows, you have traffic going straight with a green light approaching the intersection. When approaching the intersection, the light turns yellow before the vehicle enters the crosswalk. The vehicle code says that the vehicle should then stop and not attempt to enter the intersection because the light will soon turn red. Most of us know that rarely happens - the light turns yellow and people gun it and are sometimes late. Now, you are approaching the intersection and the light turns yellow when your vehicle has entered the crosswalk area, you're obligated to go through the intersection.

Okay, now you have someone who wants to make a left turn at an intersection where there's no dedicated green arrow. The vehicle code basically outlines that you should:

a) enter into the intersection to prepare for the turn
b) wait/yield until it is reasonably safe
c) turn only when it is safe to do so

Now, you're waiting and the light turns yellow and traffic is still coming. You STILL have the obligation to wait until traffic is clear. If people are running the red light - you still wait until it's clear. You're not violating the vehicle code because you technically entered the intersection legally to prepare for your turn. For a red light violation, you have to fail to stop at the limit line/intersection at a red light. You entered before the red and are, therefore, okay.

Now if the light turns red and people are still going straight - preventing you from completing your turn safely - you still wait until it's safe to turn. That's YOUR job. Traffic stopping for the red light is THEIR job. If they fail to stop for the yellow/red light, you still do your job. Why? Because that's the right way to do it but more importantly, it's the SAFE thing to do.

As for cross traffic (the east-west traffic in your post), THEIR job is to wait until the intersection is clear before entering. There is a vehicle code section for gridlock, stating you shall not enter an intersection unless you can clear it completely. So if you're in the intersection waiting to safely make a left turn and the light turns red, then they should wait until you are clear and cross traffic should wait to go.

In some cities and intersections, several of the lights are actually timed with a delay between one direction and the other. So when you're waiting to turn and the light turns red, cross traffic's light usually will have a second or two delay. Some intersections actually have a longer delay due to a history of violators running the red light.

Hope that clarifies it for you. If you wait until it's red to turn so it's safer, you wouldn't be cited because it's NOT a violation. However, if you cut in front of traffic to complete the turn on a yellow and cause traffic to brake - or even cause a collision - then there is a violation on you.