Disturbing news at work

I get back to the office this afternoon and my boss tells me they (the campus police- my office for a state agency is located on a college campus) are looking for someone they think had an accident with a state vehicle. The person resembles me in that they were said to be short, female, and with shoulder-length hair (although mine only reaches my collar at most). The witness could not name the vehicle make or model (except that it was a truck and was from our agency). Apparently the witness says that the individual hit a parked car (I don't know if they were just backing out of a space or what). Apparently there was some damage. My boss told the police that he didn't think it was me since the only truck I drove on the day in question had no damage to it, at least damage that could be explained by a minor wreck. I also wouldn't have arrived at work until that day until about an hour after the witness says the incident occurred. I know exactly what I did that day. The witness also said the person had an accent (of what kind I don't know). I don't have an accent, although I supposed it depends on your definition of accent. And since I cannot for the life of me recall anything like this on the day in question, I really doubt it was me. But I am wracking my brain trying to think if there is something I forgot.

But my boss told me I will probably be interviewed at some point. Since I am on vacation for the next two weeks, this will ruin my Christmas I think. While I think the case is slim at best, if the witness identified me (because I sort of resemble their description), I would be fucked I am sure. Even though I did nothing.

Can you submit a written statement about your activities that day with the information about the vehicle you drove, time you got to work, etc before you leave on vacation? It would put you on the offensive. Also take photos (yourself) of the vehicle you drove that day to prove there is no damage to it. I think when someone doesn't know exactly who it was who hit her car or exactly which vehicle, she's got a pretty thin case don't you? Or is politics such that they'll side with the "victim"?

Good luck and keep us posted!

There are a lot of state agencies where I work, with a lot of trucks of varying makes, models and colors. The witness (who is not the victim) could be wrong about which agency it is plus people from other parts of my agency are there often enough that it could have been one of them. It sounds like a fishing expedition really. Plus it happened nearly a month ago. The report may have been filed at the time and they are just now getting around to it.

A witness to the accident described the car as a silver Cavalier (like mine) driven by a blonde woman (like me). The most damning part? The witness gave the police my license plate number.

When I first received the notice from the police, I actually laughed. I knew I hadn't been anywhere near Lake Of The Isles in Minneapolis, and I sure as hell hadn't rear-ended someone and then taken off.

I showed my dad the letter, and he said I'd better take it seriously. Fortunately, I remembered exactly where I was and what I was doing on the day in question.

I called the police phone number indicated on the letter. After I identified myself, the officer I spoke to said, "Tell me about the accident you were involved in."

"That's the thing. I wasn't in an accident."

"Then why were we given your license number?"

"I don't know. But I wasn't involved."

He asked me to describe my day. I was able to do so, and it wasn't until then that I was told what time of day the accident occurred. It was in the morning - I was still in bed, and my car was still buried in snow from the previous night's snowfall!

The officer was very rude and accusatory. I was told I needed to come down to the Minneapolis police station with my proof of insurance and my car for inspection. I did.

The officer who examined my car laughed. It was clear to him, anyway, that my little Cavalier had not rear-ended a New Yorker. There wasn't a scratch on my car, nor any evidence that it had been damaged and repaired. I was vindicated and cleared of any suspicion.

Apparently, that wasn't good enough for the victim's insurance company. A few weeks later, I received a letter from them. It said, "We have concluded our investigation of the accident in which you were involved with our client...." and wound up demanding payment of $2600 from me.

I called them. I told them I thought it was amazing that they were able to "conclude their investigation" without ever once calling me or inspecting my car. I told them I was not involved, I did not hit their client, and I wasn't paying that money. The woman I spoke to was insistent, so I told her to call the police. They had cleared me of any wrongdoing. I also asked that they issue another letter, stating that I did not owe them any money (I never got that letter).

All of this transpired over the course of a few weeks, right before I met my husband. We often wondered how the witness had gotten my license plate number.

About two years ago, we were on the freeway when we were passed by a silver Cavalier being driven by a blonde woman - and her license number was almost identical to mine! Two letters were transposed. To this day, my husband and I remain convinced that SHE was the mysterious hit and run driver.

Anyway...I want to say good luck to you and I hope you are cleared of any wrongdoing very quickly!

Almost identical license number on an identical car? What a nightmare!

It appears to me that the DMV here batch-processes new license plates from various dealerships...so the odds are high that you will get at least the same first three letters (and possibly some of the last three numbers as well) the as anyone else who bought a new car from the same dealership at aobut the same time. And the Cavalier is probably one of the biggest-selling Chevys out there. Now, getting not only the same model but the same color, and having it purchased by someone with a resemblance to you, is prety unusual, but the odds would be definitely lowered over just assuming that numbers were assigned randomly.

just that it was a state truck from the agency where I work (not even a description of the vehicle- color, make, model), only a description of the alleged driver who looks like me. Well I can name 4 or 5 people who work for my agency who fit the description, which is vague enough. So I am inclined to think nothing will come of it. The state agency is self-insured so it is possible they may settle without assigning fault, if the person makes a big enough stink. My boss told me not to worry but I always worry.

in your favor. :hug: