A driver topping 80 miles per hour lost control and skidded sideways across a median on Mooney Boulevard around 3 a.m., sending the car careening into oncoming traffic and nearly colliding with a Visalia police officer's patrol vehicle. The officer happened to be patrolling the area at the time and caught the entire sequence on video.
According to the Visalia Police Department, the crash happened around 3 a.m. on Mooney Boulevard, a report detailed by KMPH. The outlet reports that an officer was patrolling nearby when the speeding driver lost control and skidded sideways over the median, sending the vehicle hurtling toward the wrong side of the road.
Car Jumps Curb, Barely Misses Officer
From there, the situation escalated quickly. The car continued into oncoming traffic and then jumped the curb, barely missing the officer's vehicle in the process.
Footage of the entire incident was captured on video credited to the Visalia Police Department, giving a dashcam-level view of just how close the speeding car came to striking the officer. A syndicated version of the story was dated Tuesday, keeping the footage circulating well beyond the Central Valley.
What Remains Unknown
Several basic details of the case have not been made public. The driver's identity, age and hometown have not been verified, nor has the exact speed beyond the report's statement that the driver was traveling over 80 mph. It is also not established whether anyone was injured in the crash or what damage, if any, resulted from it.
The officer's name and the condition of the patrol vehicle likewise have not been disclosed, and it remains unclear what final charges, if any, will stick or how the case will play out in court. Reckless driving in California is prosecuted under Vehicle Code 23103, which covers driving with willful or wanton disregard for the safety of people or property.
