The subject Case involved the Defendant traveling Southbound on a Freeway in Southern California, when the California Highway Patrol (CHP) performed a traffic stop. The CHP Officer indicated (at the time of the stop, as well as in the official Report) that the cause of the stop was excessive speed (speeding). During the traffic stop, the driver was cited for driving without a valid Driver License.

In contrary to the sequence of events outlined in the Officer's Report, the Defendant was claiming that they had initiated their vehicle's cruise control at exactly 65 mph (the posted speed limit for this portion of the highway), because of the late hour, and wanting to be able to focus on driving without the worry of speeding.

WEXCO's Accident Reconstruction Team, led by Kelly Golda, ACTAR, was retained for purposes of evaluating the timing and distances, cited by the CHP officer, relative to the feasibility of the CHP Officers ability to:

• Identify the vehicle,
• Match the speed of the vehicle,
• Follow the vehicle for a specific distance to verify the speed,
• Perform the traffic stop

As a result of WEXCO's analysis, it was determined that it would not have been physically possible for the Officer to perform all of the tasks that were described by the Officer, while traveling at the speed at which the Defendant was being cited. Rather, it was determined that the sequence of events described by the Defendant was more likely to have been what actually occurred.

WEXCO's analysis and testimony was utilized in a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Hearing relative to the revocation of the Defendant's Driver License.

While in the subject Case, the issue was the feasibility of the sequence of events of a Highway Patrol Officer traffic stop, the same type of scientific and forensic analysis is typically beneficial to the analysis of any traffic collision incident and/or dispute. Given the many factors being processed by each driver, percipient witness, or passenger as they proceed down the road, as well as the typically sudden and unexpected nature of a traffic collision, it is not uncommon for the statements and estimates of witnesses to be (typically unintentionally) exaggerated, mischaracterized or minimized.

WEXCO's Accident Reconstruction analysis works with the totality of the available evidence, including, but not limited to:

• the physical evidence collected at the scene,
• the layout and configuration of the roadway at the area of the incident,
• the lighting and weather conditions,
• the statements and testimony of the parties, and other unique conditions to each event.

WEXCO has over 20 years experience successfully serving the legal industry. Our highly trained staff have investigated over 10,000 cases, delivered over 2,000 depositions and provided testimony in over 600 trials.

WEXCO has offices in California and Texas, but has been called upon to testify in cases throughout the country.