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Sentry Mode to the rescue!
- Thread starter Kain
- Start date
flashflooder
Member
Just want to offer update. I was informed I can file police report yesterday evening at San Jose sheriff's office. However when I got there, they told me I need to file in Cupertino Sheriff's so although I reported them and gave license plate info, I still have to go there in person to file it and have them inspect my car. They asked me over the phone if my footage showed that they were aware they caused damage or if they just hit the vehicle unaware and took off. I told them they for sure saw the damage as the lady literally was in shock and stared at the camera with the a grin and then quickly got in the passenger side.
The officer told me that can be filed under a hit and run which is punishable by law in California. However, they seem to be pushing for me not to press charges and told me it is better to just let my insurance deal with it and they can provide the other party's information.
As much as I want to post the footage, I still want to preserve the other party's privacy even though what they did was very shady. Will keep you all updated.
The officer told me that can be filed under a hit and run which is punishable by law in California. However, they seem to be pushing for me not to press charges and told me it is better to just let my insurance deal with it and they can provide the other party's information.
As much as I want to post the footage, I still want to preserve the other party's privacy even though what they did was very shady. Will keep you all updated.
As long as they, or their insurance, pays to make you whole I wouldn't press charges. But if they don't have insurance or try to fight taking responsibility I would proceed with pressing charges.
Knightshade
Well-Known Member
They damaged someones car, clearly realized they did so, and fled without reporting it or taking any responsibility.
Press charges. Also file insurance against them as well.
Discourage them from doing it again in a way simply filing an insurance claim won't.
Press charges. Also file insurance against them as well.
Discourage them from doing it again in a way simply filing an insurance claim won't.
C141medic
Active Member
Absolutely. Punish this dirt bag of a human being and maybe she’ll think twice before doing something like this again. Unfortunately people like this only learn a lesson by someone teaching them one.
Does this actually apply if the person isn't actually driving the vehicle at the time? All of those sections seem to imply that the vehicle is in motion when the damage occurred.
ModelNforNerd
Active Member
If the person wasn't driving, then it becomes malicious destruction of property, which is definitely in the police department's wheelhouse.
Knightshade
Well-Known Member
Law says "The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting only in damage to any property"
Doesn't say the vehicle has to be in motion (or even turned on) when it does the damage.
One thing that might be a problem reading over the OPs description though- If the passenger damaged his car, there may be no evidence the driver was aware of it and fled anyway.
It would likely still be a property damage crime in that case, but probably not this crime.
Just got off the phone with my Insurance, and asked if I can post video of the footage and they told me definitely not do that. They said it can open up a can of worms in terms of lawsuits as the other party can be at risk from harassment by other people and they've also had incidences where the other party retaliates by vandalizing property once contact information was exchanged. In short, they said it is just not worth it. They said to proceed with Police report and my insurance will contact them and chase them for damages.
As angry as I am about what they did, the person is an old Asian lady. This could easily be someone's mom/aunt/relative. Bay area is a small place and everyone seems to be connected. This could turn out to be a friend's relative or something and not something worth ruining lives over. I'm sure just by cops contacting them and making them aware of what they can be potentially in trouble for should scare them enough to not do that again.
As angry as I am about what they did, the person is an old Asian lady. This could easily be someone's mom/aunt/relative. Bay area is a small place and everyone seems to be connected. This could turn out to be a friend's relative or something and not something worth ruining lives over. I'm sure just by cops contacting them and making them aware of what they can be potentially in trouble for should scare them enough to not do that again.
swaltner
Active Member
You pause the TeslaCam recording by pressing and holding the icon on the screen for about two seconds. It will flash underneath your finger and pulse the recording. Give it a few seconds to be sure to flush all data to the USB drive and then you can remove the drive.
It was more this part that I was thinking of:
I've always been curious as to what recourse I would have if I had evidence someone dinged my doors (5 door dings since October, and I even park as far away from people as I can
) so this thread is very interesting to me. I've been enabling sentry mode whenever I park in a public lot.
Stellavator
Member
Deal with it through the insurance company, like the police suggested. As angry as we can get about damage to our property, and as it seems this person knew what they did and left, it is still just a thing. That's why we have insurance. It may make you feel better temporarily to press charges, but is the potential impact on their life and livelyhood worth it. Is it really proportional? Take the high road, forgive and forget. Some day you will be glad you did.
sig_UVa
Member
This entire thread has been satisfying to read. I saw an old timer squeeze his (admittedly nice) Impala into a spot next to my Tesla last night. Our spots aren't super small in my condo complex, but there were others available too. Anyhoo, looked at footage later to see if he even hit my door. Sentry Mode recorded him, but he was careful not to touch my vehicle with his door. Good on him.
I think the best course as suggested by the officer I spoke with yesterday is to contact insurance and provide them with the footage. Also file a police report as the officer can help in getting them to accept fault and make it faster for your insurance to get them to settle. Will keep you all updated how this all goes. At this point, its pretty substantial evidence and I don't see any way they can deny fault as it captures their faces, the actual incident and the license plate.It was more this part that I was thinking of:
I've always been curious as to what recourse I would have if I had evidence someone dinged my doors (5 door dings since October, and I even park as far away from people as I can
Problem is you have to punish all of us at the same time as this will take up valuable resources from the legal system. The reason why the cops did not want charges pressed is the last thing they want to do is start getting involved in legal cases about door dings.
Flip side, is it is not unusual for a criminal to do criminal things and pressing charges gets this on the record and could be part of accumulated criminal behaviour.
voip-ninja
Give me some sugar baby
Press charges for what exactly? Vandalism? Police have zero interest in following up on something like this, they'd rather go write some speeding tickets or investigate if the local strip club is up to snuff on all of their licensing.
