SANTA CLARITA – A 45-year-old motorcyclist is expected to face several felony counts for his alleged role in a hit-and-run road rage confrontation last June that ended with an SUV on its roof on the Antelope Valley (14) Freeway, injuring the driver, the California Highway Patrol announced.
Andrew Flanigan was arrested around 5:40 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27, and booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, reckless driving and hit-and-run, according to CHP Southern Division Assistant Chief Mark Garrett.
The confrontation and crash, part of which was recorded and went viral on social media, occurred around 5:45 a.m. June 21, 2017, on the southbound Antelope Valley (14) Freeway near Newhall Avenue. Investigators used the video to help zero in on Flanigan within a week after the crash, but did not consider him an ongoing public safety or flight risk and did not arrest him until they felt they had built a significant case, Garrett said at a Wednesday afternoon news conference.
The video shows the motorcyclist pulling up to the driver’s side of a Nissan sedan in the far left lane of the freeway, then kicking a leg at the vehicle. The driver of the Nissan swerved toward the left, into the motorcyclist, who was pushed toward the center divider, but managed to maintain control of the bike.
The Nissan then swerved to the right, but the driver lost control of the vehicle and swung quickly back to the left, slamming into the center divider in front of the motorcyclist, who slowed to avoid the crash. Flames were briefly seen under the front of the Nissan, which bounced off the divider and swerved back into traffic, broadsiding a white Cadillac SUV, which flipped over and wound up on its roof.
The driver of the Nissan came to a stop on the right side of the freeway, with smoke billowing from the vehicle’s hood.
Meanwhile, the motorcyclist managed to avoid debris from the crash, including a bumper from the Nissan, and rode away.
The SUV driver suffered moderate injuries and was taken to a hospital, according to the CHP.
The video of the crash was taken by a motorist behind the involved vehicles, and the footage was posted online and subsequently received additional air time on television news broadcasts. [See video above, courtesy: Chris Traber via Storyful]
“We feel we have the person responsible for this incident,” Garrett said.
Flanigan was released from custody Wednesday after posting $110,000 bail, according to sheriff’s inmate records.
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Marc says
Both are at fault
Woody says
@Tim Scott
Are you intimate with the driver of the car? All I see is you bashing anyone that isn’t supporting the car driver. Are you special friends?
@AV Times. What is the name of the driver of the car? I haven’t seen his name posted anywhere.
Abdul says
Here in North America, vehicles in the number one lane are never (NEVER) to be overtaken by motorcyclists, on the driver’s side. Flanigan had no legal right-of-way on the left-side of that vehicle. Lane-splitting motorcyclists must overtake vehicles in the number 1 lane, only to their starboard side. The moment Flanigan put his bike on the Nissan’s left rear quarter-panel, he automatically became legally at-fault, for anything subsequent.
RF says
Watch the video from the beginning. Bike was in the middle of the carpool lane, driver illegally crossed the yellows. Bike moved to the left to avoid being hit, then the rider had a brain fart & decided to kick the car. Anything after that point is the drivers reaction, which starts off with him immediately swerving left & hitting the bike hard enough to cave the drivers door in.
Tim Scott says
“Had a brain fart” is an interesting way to explain away “vented his rage without any consideration of consequences.”
Tim Scott says
By the way, you left out a step, and misrepresented another. The Nissan illegally entered the lane ahead of the bike, so the ‘move to the left’ wasn’t really to ‘avoid being hit.’ The appropriate response to a car entering the lane ahead of you is braking…that’s the misrepresentation.
The thing you left out is the critical part, as the rider THEN overtook the car. That’s where the whole “brain fart” or “just a reaction” falls apart. In any road rage incident, there is always some party that overtakes the other. “They did this and then sped away, and I overtook them and did…” is admission of guilt, because NO MATTER WHAT THEY DID TO INCITE YOU it was you who made the decision to overtake them and continue the conflict. It doesn’t make them a “good guy,” but it is a basic legal basis for assigning responsibility to the person who gave chase.
Alicia says
RF has schoolboy crush, on Flanigan. Flanigan is his hero. RF’s the only guy on God’s green acre who thinks nothing could ever be Flanigan’s fault. RF is determined to earn his favor, prove his worthiness, in defending him.
RF says
Alicia, you may want to look up ad-hominem. It may help you make points instead of invalidating them.
I’m not excusing Flanigans behavior, merely pointed out the chain of events.
Tim: Can’t make the call on the car being ahead of the bike as the video shows him alongside the quarter panel, not behind the car. Front wheel was definitely ahead of the cars rear bumper.
Wouldn’t even be discussing this if the driver hadn’t decided that yellow lines don’t apply to him. He must be very important, at least in his own mind.
Also: The “NO MATTER WHAT THEY DID TO INCITE YOU” also applies to the driver immediately swerving into the bike.
Or do you think the driver gets a free pass?
We are all watching the same video aren’t we?
Tim Scott says
Thing is RF that there are a whole lot of narratives about “the car swerving into the bike.” I make no claim to knowing “the truth,” but I know I could present the “loud noise surprised driver” narrative well enough, and I’m no lawyer. That’s why road rage incidents have a pretty clear and unmistakable standard applied, which is:
As you said, watch from the start. The bike overtook the car. There’s no cloud of mystery, no alternative narrative. The guy was behind the car, and made a decision to catch up so he could “take action.” That decision is the defining moment of legal responsibility.
RF says
At the very beginning of the video the bike is more alongside the car than he is behind it. If he was behind it he wouldn’t have had to move to the left. We can see he had to move up a bit to get alongside the drivers door, but not by much.
But… (and this is my concern)
That still doesn’t explain why the driver is getting a free pass? Is retaliation to road rage now legal?.. or at least ignored by the CHP?
And:
As I said elsewhere, who the heck swerves violently to the side when they hear/feel something hit their car?. & lets not forget, the driver had just moved over from the #2 lane, so he knew there was nothing on that side of his car.. so his first reaction was to swerve in the direction of the concrete wall?.. unless it was a deliberate attempt to wipe out the bike.
Alexis says
@RF…This is what I see with my eyes. I see a man on a motorcycle in the HOV lane. I see a driver in what appears to be a silver sedan cross the double yellow line into the HOV lane very close but just in front of the motorcycle. I see the man on the motorcycle pull up on the left of the sedan and kick the driver’s side of the car. I see the sedan swerve to the left, barely missing the motorcycle, hitting the wall, and setting off a chain reaction of what follows. I also see that the man on the motorcycle can see what just happened, and chose to continue riding. I don’t know what happened before this incident, nor do I know what was going on in the minds of the people involved.
EDUARDO CARROCHIO says
Alexis, while you or I might see the glass half empty or half full, RF sees a can of beer and only a can of beer.
Tim Scott says
@Euardo Carrochio…a can of beer with a big dent in it from crashing into a motorcycle.
Alexis says
@ EDUARDO CARROCHIO…Wow, I know an Eduardo Carrochio that’s a bull fighter!
EDUARDO CARROCHIO says
You catch on quick.
I’m fighting the bulls….
I can’t help thinking, whenever I see the initials “RF”, what RF stands for. Something to do with rodents. But, I could be wrong.
Alexis says
@EDUARDO CARROCHIO…Thank you for the laugh.
RF says
Alicia, he didn’t “barely miss the motorcycle”. He hit it hard enough to cave the drivers door in. Freeze the video just before the car it’s the wall & you can see the damage to the drivers door.
Kickman says
Biker kick car…car kick back…oh what a mess! Cant we all just get along?
Yoda says
Do or Do Not. There is no Try.
Alice says
In motorcycle culture, bikers call it blind-spotting. Sneaking up on our left-rear quarter-panel, passenger car drivers can’t see them over our left shoulders, without turning our heads completely around). Lane-splitting, by law, under no circumstance may a motorcyclist overtake, on the driver’s side of an automobile, when sharing the number 1 lane. Flanigan well knew, he had no business on the left side of that vehicle –
RF says
Show me the vehicle code that forbids passing on the left in the carpool lane please. In fact, show me any vehicle codes for lane splitting.
Tim Scott says
The vehicle code doesn’t specifically say anything about lane-splitting, other than authorizing the CHP to develop guidelines. Whether those guidelines are then somehow enforceable as law is an open question.
It should be noted that the vehicle code defines this legal “lane splitting” specifically as “the process of a motorcyclist riding between lanes…” so under law passing on the left in the car pool lane actually isn’t “lane splitting,” and neither is passing on the right while dancing the line of “not illegally using the shoulder by staying in the lane.” Given that fact, going around a car on the left in the car pool lane is just illegal generally.
RF says
And as someone who has been riding for over 40 years, I’ve never heard one motorcyclist refer to “sneaking up on your quarterpanel” as *blindspotting*
But who's counting? says
You’ve never heard ‘one’. Well, how many have you heard? Just because you haven’t heard it doesn’t mean that it’s never been said. Right?
Paul says
The most infamous reputation in motorized vehicle history, 9 out of every 10 problem people overcompensating for character deficiencies, the cohort boasting the greatest sense of self-entitlement on the nation’s highways here in North America: the Motorcycle fraternity. Masters of the universe, nothing could ever be their fault.
Look close says
From the very first part of this video the Nissan crossed the double yellow line intentionally , biker did not chase the car the car moved into him. Granted the biker could have hit his breaks to get out of the way.
Yes the biker reacted poorly, but the Nissan driver was at first fault for his illegal move into the HOV lane and was the only one in the Nissan. The move the Nissan did look intentional to hit the bike as he did.
Tim Scott says
The motorcycle came up on the car from behind so the guy on the motorcycle could take a kick at the car. If you think you can present an effective narrative that the guy on the motorcycle was trying to end the confrontation peacefully please contact the public defenders office.
Road ragers take note…if you give chase you are legally responsible for the outcome of the confrontation.
RF says
If the rider hadn’t have moved to the left he would have been hit by the car’s quarter panel. Full video clearly shows it.
Augustine says
Ever get in an accident with a biker-dude? It is not a pleasant experience. Soon thereafter, you can bank on a visit from fellow members of his club. Ample time to lock and load, you’ll hear them coming from a good ways off. I recommend an 8 gauge pump, blacken your windows, keep the lights inside off, perhaps lend thought to sending your mothers, wives and daughters to stay a couple months with an out-of-state relative. Nothing a biker dude loves more than, a defenseless woman –
HeywoodJablomee says
Either that or you could shoot them. Just a thought.
Steve says
The Nissan driver didn’t swerve to the left. He retaliated to try to take the motorcycle out. He failed bad. The Nissan driver was probably on the phone talking.
Tim Scott says
So, you were in the car?
Assuming that you weren’t, you would be hard pressed in a courtroom to prove beyond reasonable doubt that your narrative is that much better than “got surprised and swerved.”
On the other hand, there is no doubt that the motorcyclist DID pull up on the car. Any claim that he wasn’t causing, or at the very least continuing and escalating is so easily dispatched that no lawyer would even try it.
For those jurors who want to judge by “first swing,” that was clearly also the guy on the motorcycle. If you want to take a case to court and say “look, my client did attack the other person, but as you can see they were badly outmatched and should have expected to get beat up” be my guest, but it isn’t likely to work. Similarly, the “car is bigger so motorcyclists should be allowed to kick them” defense isn’t going anywhere.
Which leaves the “I didn’t expect the innocent bystanders to be hurt when I started the fight” defense. Good luck with that.
Just Saying says
Had there been a half second, or even a quarter second from the kick to the reaction I might believe the swerve was intentional. But the reaction was instant as would be the case if surprised. The car will get a VERY expensive ticket for crossing both those double yellows (way more then crossing one carpool double yellow). But everything after that is a separate incident.
Tim Scott says
I don’t think they can write that ticket based on an on-line video shot by a passing motorist. I’m not absolutely sure, but I think a traffic violation actually has to be witnessed by a cop and cited at the time unless it is recorded through a system specifically designed for the purpose. Seems strange given that it is obviously being used to sort out responsibility for the accident, but I’m pretty sure that’s how it works.
Just Saying says
I think you’re right, Canada and UK will write a ticket on that but not here, yet. The CHP will, however, send you a letter to come to the office and explain yourself based on a citizen complaint.
RF says
So you’re claiming that the immediate reaction of anyone driving a car that hears something to hit their vehicle is to violently swerve to one side or the other?
No one does that…(Unless something if forcing their vehicle to turn)
Flanigan wasn’t trying to push the car back over the yellows with his foot.
Cathy says
An honest mistake is one thing. You’re insured for that. When someone makes a mistake, cuts you off, when you signed on the dotted line you accepted that’s going to happen, from time to time. Nature of the thing, every so often, you’d have to cut a fellow motorist a little slack. Intentional violence? Willfully and intentionally harming another person? Bashing in their car door, but for no good reason than, they made a mistake? I’m sorry, no gentle way of putting this, you belong in jail; your license permanently revoked. Never again in civilized society may you be entrusted a driving privilege –
Ali says
America’s best days well behind her, indeed. Western civilization in headlong decay, I believe this behavior proliferates because it’s rationalized; because we tolerate it; because we make excuses for it. Were DMV to implicitly stipulate, when signing on the dotted line, any outburst of anger, retaliation, retribution, or escalation of violence in the operation of a motor vehicle automatically triggers permanent revocation of our driver’s privilege, the inexcusable behavior we’ve witnessed in this video would never have happened.
RF says
The guy on he bike didn’t bash the car door in, the driver did that when his first thought after the kick was to steer into the bike & smear the rider along the wall.
Rusty Shac kleford says
Don’t attempt to justify the bikers actions. The moment the biker kicked that car he sealed his fate with criminal action. The driver of the car is also to blame.
Used to be the don juan says
Don’t attempt to justify the bikers actions. The moment the biker kicked that car he sealed his fate with criminal action. The driver of the car is also to blame.
RF says
Never said anything to justify the riders actions, did you both respond to the wrong post?
Nissan illegally crosses the yellow
Rider moves to the left to prevent being hit by quarter panel
Rider moves forward a few feet, kicks at door
Driver immediately swerves INTO the bike, not away from it.
Door gets caved in from the impact. Driver looses control from move HE made.
Commuter85 says
The SUV Cadillac could have avoided being involved , he was traveling behind the Kia which began to break noticing the interaction with the bike and Nissan; if the SUV driver was playing attention he had ample time to break and avoided colliding with the Nissan. I commuted out of the AV for 10 years , this is not the first accident like this to occur especially in the morning everyone’s rushing to get to work and drives very hostile and aggressive.
Kristina Shannon says
Let’s not blame the victim here… the SUV driver had nothing to do with the other 2 idiots (biker and nissan driver) on yhe road.
@COMMUTER85 says
Talk about victim blaming! You are an IDIOT!
Marc says
Are you serious, really, are you
Tom says
He’s another weekend warrior who watched too much SOA then bought a bike. Next time dude carry a chain you can use too hit cars it keeps you at a safer distance from the car and you can drop the evidence on the road if and when you get stopped. Damn rookies.
Tim Scott says
Dropping a chain makes no difference when there’s video…and this is 2018, there’s ALWAYS video.
Alexis says
It’s always about you, isn’t t Tom? Just the type to hit and run.
Monica says
… hey, why don’t you get out there, Tom? Bash in a couple windshields? Flip over a couple SUVs? Show us how it’s done?
Jeff says
… this is nothing new for Flanagan. He’s had priors. An old pro at baiting fellow motorists, Mr. Flanagan’s done this, many-many times before. Unless he has a very-very good attorney, he’ll be going to jail. At minimum, he’ll have his driving privilege permanently revoked –
Amelia says
An 8 month dress rehearsal, law enforcement and the District Attorney in full collusion, meticulously building the prosecution’s case, they’re going have themselves a media circus, everybody in the policy community sticking pins in this Flanigan character, they’re going to make a prime-time example out of him.
Joe says
“We feel we have the person responsible for this incident,” Garrett said.
As others are saying, it’s completely moronic to claim he caused this. Even according to the article, he “kicked at it”, nothing claiming he even made contact. The person responsible for the accident was the psycho driving the Nissan. I hope Flanigan fights this all the way and doesn’t not accept a plea for a lesser charge. NO WAY they find 12 people stupid enough to convict him.
Tim Scott says
The guy on the motorcycle gave chase to escalate a confrontation. That lands legal responsibility squarely on him, and any jurist with the law spelled out in front of them is most likely going to convict. What is it that has you trying to defend his behavior?
Mark says
If this thing ever gets before a jury? Flanigan’s going to be in jail, a good-long while. No defense attorney worth his salt would ever risk parading Flanigan, before a jury comprised of fed-up, frustrated Southern California motorists. The prosecutor in a real tough spot, left no viable alternative than throwing the book at him, Flanigan will, acting upon sound legal advice, cop to lesser charge.
Tim Scott says
Probably drop the assault charge. Thing is that the conviction for reckless driving will have every insurance company that paid a dime in this accident at his door with their lawsuits in hand, and he will have zero defense. I suspect he will be best off in jail, since it is the only place he is likely to be able to afford to eat.
Drive happy says
Biker should lose his license, easy as that.
If you choose the selfishly endage the lives of others, your privledge to drive should be revoked.
The video doesn’t show much of what happened before the assult, but you can see the motorcyclist pulling forward and getting between the Nissan and the center divider for his attack.
I don’t believe that the Nissan lost control from the kick, but rather the overreaction to the sudden noise and appeance of a vehicle beside them.
And then the attacker runs from the accident he caused?
It’s unacceptable, irresponsable and inexcusable.
RF says
quote “I don’t believe that the Nissan lost control from the kick, but rather the overreaction to the sudden noise and appeance of a vehicle beside them.”
So why did the driver steer into the bike instead of away from it?
Beginning of the video shows the car illegally crossing the yellows & the bike in the middle of the lane. If the guy on the bike hadn’t have moved to the left, the car would have hit him before the kick.
Tim Scott says
Because a surprised driver swerves faster than they look. When you are in the left lane and there’s a noise you swerve left, not right. Since they were swerving left, they looked left, and when they saw that unexpectedly there was someone there they swerved back to the right.
Now, I wasn’t in the car so I can’t say that DID happen, but I could sure present it to a jury as a very plausible course of action for the driver of the Nissan…were they on trial. But they aren’t.
The person on trial chased down another vehicle and initiated a series of actions that led to the driver of the vehicle they chased down losing control and a multi-car pile up. Legally, there is no defense here.
Alexis says
@Tim…Agree. I read about over steering, and in that situation when a person is on heightened alert, and can see the motorcyclist approaching, that really shouldn’t be passing in HOV lane; that person looks to the left and over steers to the left. I have done it myself. Driving slower of course.
RF says
You’re missing the point that this all started when the driver illegally crossed the yellows.
So you’re saying he may have swerved into the carpool lane without looking? He perhaps unintentionally crossed the yellows?.. feels bump from foot & continues to left, ran out of talent & wrecked his own car?
Mike says
It’s very clear that the motorcyclist kicked the Nissan. However, that’s NOT what caused the crash. What DID cause the crash was the Nissan drivers deliberate and violent swerve to the left in an attempt to either scare or ram his vehicle into the motorcyclist, which th video shows. Somehow the motorcyclist maintained control despit being struck by the car. The Nissan however, lost control due to the abrupt high speed and intentional maneuver, which causes the chain reaction collision. Anyone who see’s the video and interprets the Nissan drivers action as a “startled” reaction is a complete idiot. The video was taken by an uninvolved 3rd party for a reason. That reason is that the two drivers (motorcycle & Nissan) were already beefing due to the Nissan driver previously merging into the motorcyclists lane and bumping him. This information comes from witness statements in previous news articles on this matter. How and why the CHP did not arrest the Nissan driver in this case is beyond me, but this smells like politics.
Tim Scott says
It smells like the motorcyclist chased the car. That’s the legal issue of escalating the confrontation.
As to the “Mike’s eye view” of the Nissan driver’s intentions…did someone say “complete idiot”? Feel free to prove your interpretation in court Mike. I’m sure Andrew Flanigan would appreciate having a credible expert like you on his side.
Mike says
You’re theory of the Nissan driver being “startled” is flawed. See…human beings have 2 basic instincts when confronted with situations that invoke fear. They either “fight” or they take “flight.” Every person who has ever inadvertently changed lanes only to realize that a vehicle is in their blind spot just before the moment they are about to collide does one thing….they swerve AWAY from the “threat.” Every driver who has ever taken their eyes off the road and veered of course onto those very rough “rumble strips” that create and extremely loud, unpleasant, and “startling” noise, all do one thing….they steer AWAY from the threat. The fact that any person would believe that this Nissan drivers reaction of serving into the threat (the motorcyclist) is either a complete moron who does not share the same basic instincts as the rest of us, or they are inciteful, deliberately indifferent anarchists pushing an agenda to change the basic norms society has long accepted to be true. Tim…you are the anarchist. I would gladly represent this guy in court. Although he is not innocent, he is far from guilty of causing the accident. At most, he is guilty of disorderly conduct and fleeing the scene of the accident. The Nissan driver should also be arrested and charged with reckless driving resulting in serious injury, disorderly conduct, and last but not least…Assault with a deadly weapon on the motorcyclist. I’m willing to bet you that the motorcyclist does not get found guilty of the ADW charge. $500. I will pay you if I’m wrong. If you are wrong, you must promise to go away and never post another comment to any story on this site. Deal?
Tim Scott says
How about this Mike…close your eyes and have someone make a loud noise somewhere behind you, and you accurately tell them whether they are off to your right, or your left.
Now, how about this…get on the freeway and get in the left lane. Then tell us which direction SEEMS like the safest direction for your reflexes to take you if there seems to be something wrong with your car.
Now, since I already said that the ADW charge is likely to be dropped, how about you stop posting stupid nonsense…not on a bet, just because you are tired of looking so stupid.
Mike says
Maybe you don’t have the same sense of direction as the rest of us. Most of us know which direction random sounds come from. Your see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil nonsense is not realistic. Sell it to someone else. I, along with many other readers here, care calling BS on your theories. They just don’t add up.
Tim Scott says
Sure Mike…your spidey senses are undoubtedly top notch. No doubt you’d be joining Trump on the unarmed superhero parade into a building with a shooter also.
If only we could arrange such an opportunity for both of you buffoons.
Laughing says
This argument is silly as it does not take into account that the altercation started before the video. Other people stated the car and motorcycle where being dumb before this video from whatever transpired miles back.
They were both well aware of each other by the time of this video.
Tim Scott says
“Well aware of” does not prove “continuing to watch while driving in traffic.” There’s no question the motorcyclist was aware of who he was chasing down, but there’s no way to prove that the driver in the car was watching his mirrors instead of the road.
That’s why the person giving chase has a very hard burden in claiming the other party is responsible. The person chasing can always avoid further confrontation by just slowing down. The person being chased does not have that option.
Alexis says
@Tim Scott…great comment!
Tim Scott says
Who are you, and what have you done with our Alexis?
Just kidding. Thanks.
Tim Scott says
Longer answer clearing moderation…short answer…Mike is an idiot.
RR takes the Queen for a ride says
Well, Mike
Try this on. When President Reagan took Queen Elizabeth to Yosemite National Park on March 5, 1983. I recall reading an article that said the Secret Service has to be aware of this when the presidential motorcade is travelling at speed on highways. The article said that many drivers can inadvertently steer into the limo when it’s passing them on their left.
Three Secret Service agents were killed when sideswipped by a Mariposa Country sheriff’s patrol car that day. I couldn’t find more details but I think that accident is what was referrenced regarding turning into a car passing on the left. The SS has to pass quickly to avoid accidental sideswipes.
You are viewing the video from the car behind the accident where it looks obvious that the Nissan driver should have swerved to the right while you are looking ahead. But, that’s not HIS point of view seeing the motorcycle in his left hand mirror.
Consider that when viewing through your left hand mirror, you are seeing a reverse image. Think AMBULANCE spelled as a reverse image on the front of those vans. A person might automatically steer into a car or motorcycle without intending to. A driver has to instantly override his reflexes when seeing something in his mirror and may not do it in time.
Be safe says
I agree with you Mike. The Nissan deliberately tried to hurt the biker. I believe what’s not on video it the Nissan almost hit the biker earlier and the biker was pissed because he could have got hurt so he kicked the car. I think Nissan driver needs to face charges for attempted murder.
Scally says
I ride and people on the 14 are idiots. The kid driving should be sited as well. Chris Traber your a snitch.
Randy says
1. If the person who recorded the video with their phone was the operator of the vehicle, that person should also be issued a citation for using a phone while driving. Won’t happen.
2. The person who recorded the video should not have so easily turned the video over to authorities or the media. The video is key evidence and an arrest or conviction would not be possible without it. The video is worth tens of thousands of dollars to the insurance companies involved, and why not force the prosecutor’s office to pay the citizen for the evidence? To the state and district attorney’s office, if a conviction results directly from the video, this criminal case will just be another check mark in their Excel spreadsheet; this country is all about how much justice one can afford, and what power position one holds in political office, it’s no longer about justice for all.
3.The dude on the motorcycle is/was just plain stupid for battling with a four wheel cage that outweighs the bike by at least four or five times; just incredible stupidity for thinking, and then acting out “I’ll teach him”. He is not a motorcyclist; he rides/rode a two wheeled vehicle with minimal skills, obviously a very low IQ, and may actually have a Class M endorsement by the DMV,
4. Let’s face reality, an endorsement by the California Department of Motor Vehicles is not rocket science or physics, it’s not even a test of simple skills; it’s an endorsement of a warm body remembering what the right foot and hands do. 99.99% of people operating their vehicles have no idea how their vehicle will respond in a panic situation; we all have a degree of stupidity in us who do not take operating a potential deadly weapon seriously.
5. The CHP and other sworn public servants operating motorcycles are not without blame; how many times have we witnessed the blue lights splitting lanes or maneuvering through heavy traffic at a speed way beyond their ability? No human has the ability to react to a negligent operator making instant stupid decisions like changing lanes and assuming there’s nothing obstructing their path.
S.B Davey says
The person who took the video was a passenger…not a driver. You can see that in the video. Plus, that fact was pointed out in, and on the news.
He's to salty says
Someones salty, friends of the biker?
Dave says
He must’ve had a bionic kick to cause the nissan to lose control, I ride and I’m not saying he was inocent, but there’s been times when drivers don’t bother to look for bikers and cut us off probably not on purpose but he had to have given this biker a reason to kick the car. Just lookout for bikers folks.
Tim Scott says
Loud noise, guy outside the car within arm’s reach when you look…I think “wild swerve” is the most likely outcome. Factor that in next time someone “gives you a reason” to kick their car.
Chasing down another car is the definition of escalation. Legally, this guy is toast.
Indeed says
Yes. Yes. The motorcycle riders are never at fault no matter what they do.
Bikers, who are less visable and more vulnerable, must look out for cars and trucks.
Whenever there is a motorcycle versus car/truck accident, there are always a few who automatically blame the car/truck drivers. Do bikers even consider that they are even less visible in a car driver’s blind spot than another car would be?
I wonder if those same people wear dark clothing while walking on an unlit street at night and expect everyone else to see them. Same mentality. They may be right even if it kills them.
Monica says
… first tenant of “I aspire to be stupid biker-dude” doctrine, the biker dudes always have the right-of-way, over all motorists, and all pedestrians –
Ijs says
He was at fault because he kicked the persons car causing them to loose control. What baffles me is that this happened in June of 2017, they knew who he was within a week and did arrest him until 8 months later because he posed no threat. After he
Cause an accident that could have killed people. Smh. I have never heard of such a thing. Hope he wasn’t doing this same things to others while he was running around free.
Tim Scott says
All I can say is that if they spent eight months “building the case” before they arrested him they had better get a slam dunk conviction.
Mike says
You have a warped sense of reality. You must have an extremely low IQ if you think a kick to the door from a human can cause a 4,000 pound vehicle to lose control. Wow.
Tim Scott says
He kicked the car causing the driver to lose control. That doesn’t require a superhuman kick.
An unexpected loud noise at freeway speeds, another vehicle showing up surprisingly close to the side of your car…no doubt you think that with your superhuman reflexes and nerves of steel this wouldn’t affect you, but I doubt it.
George says
All his kick did was anger the driver who swerved to take out the bike but over reacted. The driver couldn’t handle his own swerve in anger reaction. I guess he got caught up in the physics, If you somehow believe the biker kicked the car out of control, c’mon….really
Tim Scott says
Replace “anger” with “surprise” and you have a very believable scenario.
George says
Probably startled him from his texting…..
I bet the driver knew exactly what happened when he got kicked. I doubt the guy on the motorcycle was a surprise. I am sure this was an ongoing thing for a mile or two. It is unlikely the motorcycle rider just suddenly decided to ride up and kick a car out of the blue.
That being said, who in the heck would ride up next to a car at freeway speeds and kick a car? That guy might end up in jail (or charged with a vandalism) but he needs to be seen by the common sense doctor.
RF says
I’m not sure how many of you have hit things, or been hit by things, on the freeway.. but are you all claiming your first reaction would be to swerve violently to the side instead of going straight until you worked out what the noise was? You may want to rethink that a bit.
Tim Scott says
And RF joins the parade of heroes with Donald Trump et al. Knows his cat like reflexes are tempered by his steely nerves, and carried on a wave of inhuman courage.
George says
Tim has shown once again how he cannot have a conversation without letting his anger for the President get in the way.
What the heck does Trump have to do with this collision or the whole discussion? I guess when you don’t make any sense you run off crying “Trump, Trump” and then throw your pacifier on the ground in a tantrum.
Tim Scott says
NO George, I’m just up on current events so the parallel between “I’d run into the school and confront the shooter” and “I’d hear a loud thump and drive on with my steely nerves while assessing the situation” is obvious to me. Sorry it went over your head. Hit you about the belly button I’m guessing.
Peggy says
How can he be at fault? The other guy swerved into him trying to take him out and lost control! The only fault I see is he left the scene. SMH
Tim Scott says
He kicked the side of a moving car. How the driver would respond to a sudden loud thump at freeway speeds was unpredictable, but it was predictable that it wouldn’t be good. The idea that you are trying to defend this guy is remarkable.
George says
Peggy are u for real the biker kick the car first he I an ass ,H A don’t kick cars
Laughing says
At the time I had read another person saw the Nissan illegally pass the motorcycle in the car pool lane, starting the incident. The biker still should not have kicked the car, but if that was part of the incident I would hope that driver shares in the responsibility of the overall outcome. If that driver had not tried to bash the kicker then the wreck would not have happened.
Alexis says
Wow, just wow!
Tim Scott says
Well done. I was actually at a loss for something to say.