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Wednesday, November 19, 1997 Guest: Jeff Calloway Jackson Crime Lab Expert in Accident Reconstruction Opening Remarks: How are y'all doing? It�s a real nice evening here. Lets start with the map. The map is numbered 1 through 4. Item 4: This indicates where the car came to rest. As you can see it left the road during a turn. Item 3: This, in my opinion, is where the second car made contact with Lamar. We have paint on Lamar�s vehicle, but no skid marks from a second vehicle. Item 2: This is the point of attack. This indicates when the second car pulled along the Sheriff, possibly ramming him from behind, damage to the rear of his vehicle is minor, but there are unexplained scrapes. Item 1: Indicates when the second vehicle may have been close enough to be viewed and identified. You'll notice in the video we gave a make and model. Among the possibilities are the vehicle depicted, a white Ford F150 pickup. We have taken samples from cars in the county lots, personal and public vehicles. The video was created using the evidence at the scene. Perhaps its time for questions now? Question and Answer Session: Q: The photo shows a curve, but no curve at 1.2 mile point, the curve is at the 1.8 mile point. A: I suppose the difference is in where you measure it. We used a county road crew map. It�s the official map, authorized by the Highway Department. Q: Have construction vehicles been checked also? A: Construction vehicles? Yes, in the county facility, we checked everything. We haven't been to construction sites, is that what you mean? A: Yes. Q: What does Chambeau drive, and Brad (boyfriend to Michele Boyers), who is begging for business? A: He has a dark American car for his personal use. But he has many business vehicles. We'll be going through them. The process has begun. I don't know what the boyfriend drives. Q: Was anything unusual found on the car? A: Nothing out of the ordinary was in the car. Q: The first person on the scene said there was no other vehicle on the road. Was she/he in a position to see the proposed vehicle? A: The paint and damage indicate the second vehicle. No, she could not have seen the vehicle. Q: In your opinion, was mailbox destroyer on Pea Ridge Road the one who drove Lamar off the road? A: White paint connects them both, so it is possible. The car was traveling north on Pea Ridge . Q: What's going to happen to the car now? A: It�s impounded. It'll be scrapped soon as we�re done with it. Its totaled. Q: If no skid marks, no witnesses , how do you know type of vehicle and point of impact? A: From the paint and damage analysis you know the vehicle. You can also tell plenty from the trail it takes off the road. Also, mechanical reconstruction allows us to determine the point of impact and most likely mechanics that resulted in the accident, that's what computer simulation helps to reconstruct, too. Take all the points of impact, the known measurements, and puts it all together. Q: How close to S. Lamar Blvd. (old hwy. 7), was the Pea Ridge mailbox incident? A: A few miles? Q: Were any skid marks found at the crash scene? Or where the car crashed into the mail box? A: No skid marks at the crash scene, there is a partial tire cast from the mud at the mail box. Q: Can you tell from the damage if the cars were speeding? A: Yes, the cars were speeding. (Note: the speed limit is 45 mph, the estimated speed at the time of the accident is 65 mph) Q: Is timing of car crash estimated to be before or after mailbox incident? A: The mailbox incident was after the crash. The mailbox incident occurred about seven minutes after the crash. Q: Have local body shops been alerted to contact police if someone brings in White Ford F-150 with damage to it? A: Yes and none have been discovered so far. Q: How do you know where the other vehicle started out? Were there tracks or something on the road? A: I�m not sure what is being asked here. Could you clarify? Q: How do you know where vehicle number two, the Ford F150 started out on Hwy. 7? A: We don't. We do know what makes sense according to the mechanics of the accident itself. That's based on speed, vehicle damage, and the factors I mentioned earlier. Q: Is it possible the damage or paint scrapings could be from an older accident? A: In accident reconstruction it is possible to determine fresh damage, and this was. |