(LIVERMORE, CA.) – Livermore residents raise concerns over the way the Livermore Police Department handled their reports of hit-and-runs.
As pictured below, California Vehicle Code 20002 states that drivers must immediately stop at the nearest safe location and exchange information.
Photo Credit: California Legislative Information
On Feb. 15, Xueying Zhao was rear-ended while driving home from Costco with her 5-year-old son. Both drivers exited their vehicles to assess the damage, and after a failed attempt by the other driver “scrub out” the damage, he suggested moving to a safer spot.
After pulling over to a nearby sidewalk, Zhao’s dashcam footage shows the other driver speeding away without providing his insurance information, which can be seen here.
Photo Credit: Nextdoor
Vehicle code 20002 also clearly indicates that after finding a safer spot, the driver at fault must “Locate and notify the owner or person in charge of that property of the name and address of the driver and owner of the vehicle involved.”
Believing this to be a clear violation, Zhao reported the incident and sent the footage to the LPD.
Later, the LPD located the driver but labeled the case a “misunderstanding” rather than a hit-and-run because the other driver reportedly told police he thought Zhao had permitted him to leave the scene.
Photo Credit: Nextdoor
Zhao wrote on Nextdoor, “I did try to convince the police that this is not just a misunderstanding, but the police doesn’t believe me.”
Photo Credit: Nextdoor
After sharing her perspective with the police, Zhao states that Officer Smitherman asked her, “Are you looking for some kind of punishment for that person? Do you expect me to put him in jail with other criminals who steal and kill?”
“The way she asked me made me feel like I am a criminal. I felt very uncomfortable,” Zhao said.
Photo Credit: Nextdoor
Zhao stated that she wasn’t upset because of the lack of punishment, but because she felt the LPD didn’t believe her, leaving her feeling disappointed.
Considering the LPD labeled the incident as an accident rather than a hit-and-run, Zhao initially feared there would be insurance complications. However, she later confirmed that the $1,600+ in damages to her vehicle will be covered by insurance.
After Zhao posted her story on Nextdoor, several Livermore residents felt confusion and frustration over the way the Livermore police handled her case.
Photo Credit: Nextdoor
Some residents shared more than frustration. In fact, Livermore resident Shelley stated how they had a similar experience with how her hit-and-run report was processed, suggesting a concerning pattern in how the LPD adheres to Vehicle Code Law 20002.
Photo Credit: Nextdoor
Shelley reported that about a year ago, a lifted truck reversed into her to avoid a blocked intersection caused by an accident on L Street and Chestnut.
As the truck began reversing, “I’m honking my horn, finally I roll down my window, he’s backing up really slowly at first, and I tell him, 'Dude, stop, you’re gonna hit me,' I can’t back up,” Shelley continued, “And then he kind of stepped on a little more and ran right into the front of me, and then took off.”
When police arrived, Shelley provided a photo of the license plate and even pointed out the driver, who was parked at a nearby gas station.
Shelley stated that the cops said, “Oh, we’ll take care of it,” but Shelley was confused by this response because the police hadn’t even asked for the license plate.
Even though the officer had barely inspected her vehicle, the officer claimed there was little damage and promised to follow up, Shelley reported.
Upon returning home, Shelley realized there was damage to her grill and a missing GMC emblem that “cost a bunch” to replace.
“They kind of just brushed it off, and I never heard from them,” Shelley said.
When asked for comment on how the department processes and investigates hit-and-run cases, Livermore Police Department Police Media & Community Relations Analyst Azenith Smith responded that for hit-and-run cases to be prosecuted, “we must establish probable cause and sufficient evidence.”
Photo Credit: Email correspondence between OpGov.ai and Livermore Police Department Police Media & Community Relations Analyst Azenith Smith)
While the LPD maintains that hit-and-runs require “sufficient evidence” for prosecution, Livermore residents are left wondering why clear dashcam footage and physical evidence aren’t enough to satisfy this requirement.
The LPD has promised to review these cases, but the real test will be whether these reviews lead to fewer stories of feeling “brushed off’ by the police department meant to protect them.
If you would like to add to or correct any information in this report, please contact me at mollyscheid7@gmail.com or leave a comment below.
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