I get a call at 4:30 pm on Friday from my wife saying she was in an accident and her head is bleeding.  Unable to get all the details (except where the accident was) at the time, I head out of the office.  Turns out the accident was within a couple hundred feet of the house, so I'm facing a 19-mile drive in rush-hour traffic.  Here the details as they unfolded.

My sister-in-law (who lives with us), my middle son (14) and my wife were in my SIL's 06 Kia Sportage coming home after picking up my son from school.  They were headed north on US 301 (2 lanes, VERY busy at this time) and were waiting to make a left turn (to go westbound) onto our street.  A car coming from the right on the same street (also heading westbound, but on the right side of US 301) was either going to turn left (to head south on US 301) or go straight (continue west).  Well, the person driving the second vehicle decided to be helpful and pulled out across US 301 and blocked southbound traffic so my SIL could make her left turn.  So far, so good, I think.  Anyway, the driver of a car heading south on US 301 was not happy with this and proceeded to go around the second car by driving on the shoulder.  By this time my SIL had made her turn.  The southbound car, having gone around the other car, plowed into the right front wheel of my SIL's car, spinning it around and ending up in the ditch alongside US 301.

My wife was in the back seat and was the only one injured.  Something flew around and beaned her square in the forehead, where she received a 2" vertical cut from between the eyes upward.  I never made it to the accident scene as my oldest son called and said to meet her at the hospital; which meant that I had to turn around and go back the way I had just come.  I'll get back to that part in a minute.  In the meantime, my son is telling me that another car showed up and pulled next to the car that hit my SIL.  They get out, ask my SIL what kind of insurance she has (she doesn't reply), transfer something from the trunk of the wrecked car to the newcomer, then take off.  My son could not see what it was, and the police still hadn't arrived.  BTW, it took nearly 30 minutes for FHP to get there.  Ambulance was there in 5.  The woman who pulled across traffic stayed to give her story.  A construction worker came to my SIL and said he saw the whole thing and that he would tell the police that it was the other person's fault.  Well, he lied.  He told the police a different story.  With two witnesses telling different versions, the police would not issue any tickets.  A tow truck driver came and helped us get my SIL's car into our yard and I do not know what happened to the other car.

Back to the hospital... I beat the ambulance by about 10 minutes.  It's already almost 6 pm now, and they send us to their First Care facility, where we wait another half-hour (wife's still bleeding from her forehead).  Go see the doctor, who then calls a plastic surgeon because of the scarring that will happen and hope to minimize it.  ABout 8 or 9 stitches inside the cut (which was very deep) and a shoelace-type stitch up the outside.  By this time my SIL shows up with everyone in tow (all 3 of my sons, and another sister).  They drove my SIL's other car (she kept it to give to my 14yo son when he is of driving age), a 2001 Hyundai Elantra.

About 9:30 pm we are all ready to leave.  Me, my wife, and my youngest take off in my truck, everyone else in the Hyundai.  As I'm about to turn into our driveway, my oldest son calls me to say they were rear-ended.  Get this... they're on US 301!  Yep, sitting at a red light this drunk ass in an early 70's Chevy pickup rams them from behind.  Not just once, but twice.  He was trying to get away but his tranny linkage was jammed in drive.  After the second impact it jammed completely and wouldn't move.  I call FHP and tell them to get there as this guy is drunk and trying to get away.

The guy realized he wasn't going anywhere (and a witness had stopped to make sure), so we waited for the police again.  Officer comes up and you can see by his expression that he could smell the alcohol on this guy.  To make this long story short, we had a credible witness (not needed), we were sent home with another damaged vehicle, and the other guy spent the night in jail.  His BAC was .207.

Now I get to deal with all the insurance companies.  What a joy.

The Kia suffered a lot of damage.  Right front fender, hood, front end, etc.  You can see where the wheel is a little cock-eyed and under the hood you can see that the engine is out of line.  In fact, one of the motor mounts is broken completely in two.
The Hyundai has damage to the rear bumber and trunk lid.  The trunk is a little difficult to close which indicates something else is a little out of alignment.

What a night.

good lord man! that sucks alot, i hope that your wife's forehead heals up well and im wondering

what did the the other cars passengers take out of the back of your wifes car?

Rule number one, ALL accidents are injury accidents. ALWAYS call for an ambulance. I know from experience. It is better to not need it than to sit in a court room a year later and argue why at the time you felt OK. (the shock of the accident will numb spinal pain and most abraisions.) I am almost to the point of installing dash cams on my vehicles. Every penny would be repaid by one such use.

I am glad that everyone is okay.

We just had a CHP officer killed while on the side of the road writing a ticket, when a drunk slam into his patrol car.  Drunk drivers are the biggest threat to life and limb.

Quoted: Rule number one, ALL accidents are injury accidents. ALWAYS call for an ambulance. I know from experience. It is better to not need it than to sit in a court room a year later and argue why at the time you felt OK. (the shock of the accident will numb spinal pain and most abraisions.) I am almost to the point of installing dash cams on my vehicles. Every penny would be repaid by one such use.

I didnt realize how injured I was until i talked to my lawyer....


Guess what-I was in an accident - I DID NOT GET F-ING HURT....every wreck is not a f-ing lottery ticket.

Quoted: good lord man! that sucks alot, i hope that your wife's forehead heals up well and im wondering what did the the other cars passengers take out of the back of your wifes car?

I wish I knew, also.

Update so far...
The driver from the first accident had valid insurance and it appears that her company will take responsibility.  Find out more later.
The drunk driver's insurance (at least the one he put on the report) expired in 2004, so I need to call the state DMV to see if he has any insurance at all.
I fuckin' hate drunk drivers... insured or not.

Quoted: Update so far... The driver from the first accident had valid insurance and it appears that her company will take responsibility.  Find out more later. The drunk driver's insurance (at least the one he put on the report) expired in 2004, so I need to call the state DMV to see if he has any insurance at all. I fuckin' hate drunk drivers... insured or not.

Quite often "accidents" between two vehicles are actually the fault of both drivers.  If one or the other had practised a high level of defensive driving many of these incindents could be prevented. Unfortunately it is difficult to stay completely aware of everything happening around you 100% of the time.

The accident rate could be cut by 90% if people took driving seriously, paid attention and never ran late.  Good drivers regularly prevent traffic accidents.

If a drunk ever hits me and my wife is injured.... well your honor I was knocked around pretty good and don't remember pulling the fucker out of his car and beating the holy living shit out of him till he was ready to make peace with God and the Virgin Mary, must be that... uh.... (Turns to lawyer) Amnesty... No... Amnesia stuff your honor.

Quoted: Quoted: Rule number one, ALL accidents are injury accidents. ALWAYS call for an ambulance. I know from experience. It is better to not need it than to sit in a court room a year later and argue why at the time you felt OK. (the shock of the accident will numb spinal pain and most abraisions.) I am almost to the point of installing dash cams on my vehicles. Every penny would be repaid by one such use. I didnt realize how injured I was until i talked to my lawyer.... Guess what-I was in an accident - I DID NOT GET F-ING HURT....every wreck is not a f-ing lottery ticket.

+.66

The other .33 went to a lawyer.