A Sudden Stop

Professionally translated by:
SPANISH TRANSLATIONS & INTERPRETING, Lake Forest, CA

After the wreck I was told, a LOT of things but none of them supportive. I learned later that 99.7 percent of the time people blame the Victim. After nearly 16 years I wanted to have the report fully translated. The statement is clear she was at fault: She was drunk, she was on the wrong side of the freeway driving a car with illegal tags and plates that was not hers. It was Not my fault. It was a confirmation and even after all this time, it feels good to have documented validation.
below is a post from my guestbook regarding who is at fault in my wreck and a response posted by another:
name:None
Email: none@none.com
Remote Name: 69.14.104.112
Date: Sunday June 13, 2004
Comments: I looked at the police report and I don't see anywhere where it says it wasn't your fault. From the diagram, it looks pretty clear that you most certainly COULD have avoided that accident. She was intoxicated, you were not. You were much more able to avoid the accident and you should have. You had plenty of room to move over and you should have. No one is to blame for your injuries but yourself. Learn to live with it.
Name: School Bus Driver
Email: Nagroth@yahoo.com
Date: Sunday June 13, 2004
Comments: I measured a blind rise in front of my home on Interstate 5 at 400 ft meaning of blind rise, distance to other vehicle once you can see the head light assuming both cars are doing the speed limit 65 mph (yea right!) closing speed 130 mph = 190.6 feet per second Assuming the above fits the scenario, the automobiles would collide in 2 seconds Now, if you know anything about driving ( I am a trained professional.) 4 factors go into reaction time. First is Sensation: in this example you see a light ahead. Second is Perception: time to recognize that the lights are head lights. Third is Response: should I break or steer right. Fourth is Action: turning the steering wheel right, lifting foot off the throttle and applying the break. The best possible reaction time would be 1.5 seconds. In the above scenario, you would have to add “ Shock “ between “ Perception “ and “ Response “ Those can’t be head light, there on the wrong side of the road, or am I on the wrong side of the road. This should take anywhere from 0.5 second to 1 second. Now total response time is 2 - 2.5 seconds. Impossible to avoid this collision.

I was driving south bound on the Freeway/Autopista on my way to Rosarito B.C. Mexico.
It was in celebration of my position at the Salon and first day off in two weeks.
I was on my way to eat, drink and do some dancing before staying the night.
I never made it to dinner.

She is vehicle #1 Northbound from ENSENADA on the wrong side of the freeway,
I am traveling Southbound from Tijuana in vehicle #2 in the fast lane, as she came over the rise.

FEDERAL ROAD POLICE
DISCIPLINE LOYALTY SACRIFICE

ACCIDENT TICKET No.476/88
FORMS: D.G.A.F. 101 No.625661
TIJUANA B.C.N. ON APRIL 28,1988

FEDERAL DIRECTOR OF THE ROAD POLICE
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF P.F.C. ENRIQUE HARARI GARDUNO
PRESENT

ANTECEDENTS: I must inform you that at 19:30 hour today in kilometer 24+500 of the Highway (10) TIJUANA, section: TIJUANA LA MISSION, I learned of the COLLISION among the following vehicles:

1.) Automobile Sedan, Plymouth, year 1970, series No. ARGOE145620, WITH PLATES OF CIRCULATION No.743 BLS (March 1988 extemporaneous of the State of California USA, property of L. Blankinship, with address at 4444 Kendall, San Diego, California USA driven by PAULA JEAN BROWN, American nationality, 37 years old, with address at 400 Flaglake Drive 161 Lake Jackson Texas, BJA, who has a valid driver license type C - No.08992597 of the State of Texas USA.
2.)Automobile Sedan, Chevrolet, year 1982, series No.161 AJO8C7CA 149304, with plates No.2YYY954 (89) from the State of California USA, owned by Ellen Brown with address at 2804 Cole Drive San Diego, California USA driven by ELLEN BROWN American Nationality, 28 years old, with address at 2804 Cole Drive San Diego, California USA valid driver license No.CXXXXXXX from the State of California USA.

INVESTIGATIONS And DETERMINING CAUSES: By the investigations practiced in the place of the facts, it has been determined that in this accident the following factors took part:

The vehicle (1) it traveled from South to North with direction to the city of Tijuana B. C.N, in tangent at level via of four tracks, and central ridge, two with circulation in the same direction, the conductor was driving opposite to the circulation and driving in an alcohol intoxicate state (S.G.M.A.) hitting with her left front angle the front of the same part of vehicle (2) that traveled in the opposite side on the corresponding track. Leaving finally both vehicles outside the road in transversal position. By the before exposed the folio of infraction No.1502968 to the conductor of vehicle No 1 was formulated: PAULA JEAN BROWN FOR TRAVELING AROUND THE LEFT LINE OF THE CENTRAL LINE, LACK OF VALID PLATES AND DRIVING UNDER THE STATE OF ALCOHOL INTOXICATION. With violation to section 101, 80 of the Regulation of Traffic in the Federal Highways, and the 537 of the General Law of Routes of Communication. Retaining in guarantee of this folio vehicle (1) with base to article 538 of the same Law. Being both vehicles placed in the confinement premises of Garage Vasquez, located in Avenue Aviacion S/N in this City, to the disposition of the Competent Judicial Authority and the Delegation of the Federal Motor Transports of this seat.

Signed: Miguel L. Lopez Cotero

Second Page of Accident Ticket No. 476/88

VICTIMS: Injured, as the result of the accident was the conductor of vehicle No.2 of this record with data written in the first paragraph, the victim was transferred in an ambulance of the Red Cross of Rosarito, B.C. to the same institution, for medical attention. In vehicle No.1, no (injuries) registered.

Material Damages: The Highway do not present/display any flaws, damages on vehicle No.1 are considered in the amount of: $500,000.00 Five hundred thousand pesos 0/100 (National Currency). and $3,000,000.00 (three million pesos 0/100 (National Currency for vehicle No.2 approximately
(conversion rate in 1988 1 dollar:21 pesos hers: $23,809.52 / mine:142,857.14)

Judicial Competition: The denunciation comes from these facts, before the Agent of the Public Ministry under Common Law in Rosarito Beach B.C.N. where driver of vehicle No.1 PAULA JEAN BROWN, is at your disposition in the Municipal Jail of that same town.

Complementary: Attached herewith are the illustrative sketch, several forms including form #625661, and inventories of the vehicles, also the Medical Certificate of Alcohol Intoxication (of PAULA JEAN BROWN). A TOW Truck from the Vasquez Garage was used.

Respectfully
First Officer

Signature: Miguel L. Lopez Cotoero (0-0026)

Review by the Second Commander of the Station
Ramon Mancilla Macedo

Approved by: The Commander of the Station
Salvador Diaz y Chavez (8-0042)