Knucklehead

It snowed last night and it's absolutely beautiful outside.  It's Saturday so we slept in then went to get coffee with Lucy.

We weren't a mile from the house when a snowplow went through a stop sign and stopped in the middle of the road, front of us.  As much as Kevin tried, we hit the truck and stopped.  WE ARE FINE.  

The passenger front corner of the truck took the brunt of the damage, folding the bumper underneath the truck.  If Kevin hadn't thought so quickly, it would have been a t-tone accident.  The plow truck took a hit to the front fender mostly.  We were "lucky" that it hit just between the plow and the truck.

The worse part for me was Lucy.  I had to just hold her tight to my chest with one arm and brace myself with the other.   She is unhurt but was definitely shaken.  She was more upset that we were upset, I think.  Needless to say she is getting All The Cookies today.

Again, we're fine.  I'm certain we'll be sore tomorrow but we're fine.  More frustrated and disappointed.

Because this is where it gets interesting:

The guy didn't want to give us insurance information or I.D.  He finally gave up his business card when I insisted and threatened to call 911.  He stated he was the owner of the company and it would be fine.  In my busy brain, I'm thinking "Heaven help you if not. I will flame you, your company, and dog on the interwebs."  He said that he only had insurance information on the email. I stood right at his door and said "Fine, give it to me right now. I'm standing RIGHT HERE."  He fiddled with his phone, texting, then said he couldn't.  

Meanwhile, I also took photos of EVERYTHING.  (remember that in a minute)  I even have a photo of him in the truck, the name on the door of the truck, the damage, everything.

Kevin was a little spun out because accident, me and the dog in said accident, and his beloved truck was wrecked.  This truck has 500,000 miles on it and he has had it almost his whole adult life.  It's His Truck.  It has seen some stuff.  Also, it's snowing and we're wrecked in the middle of the road with a flat tire.

He had to solve how to get home with said flat tire.  He was going to try to just get it home on the rim and I offered to walk along side to spot him.  I offered to call our young, non-family member, neighbor to come help but he declined because reasons. (see: spun out) Finally, he changed the tire on the side of the road.

Six cars went by. Two stopped.  TWO.  C'mon humanity, get your sh*t together.

While Kevin is problem-solving the tire issue, the plow driver took his truck back up onto the hill and parked.  No offer of further help, nothing.  About fifteen minutes later, another company truck drove by, then stopped.  He looked a little annoyed? I'm not sure why.  Kevin opened his door, without permission, and asked for tools "Because your guy disappeared."  Kevin took a hammer off the floor, said "I will leave it over there for you to pick up", slammed the door, then walked away. THAT DRIVER then goes up the hill, leaving us alone.

A few minutes later, the truck returns down the hill and both guys are in it.  They get their hammer and leave.  Yep.   Super awesome guys, for real though.  I'm already writing the yelp review of their company, trust that.  "Will run a stop sign, cause an accident, not provide information, AND bail on you in an accident. Negative stars. Do not recommend."

About twenty minutes later we finally made it home.  I sat down at the computer with the phone and filed ALL THE CLAIMS.  As you can imagine, I didn't get far with the other driver's insurance because he didn't give me his information.  I am not to be thwarted.  And anyone who knows me in real just laughed and nodded.

This is where shock wears off and I do the obvious next step: call 911.

We had the BEST SHERIFF'S DEPUTY EVER.

He called me a knucklehead.  Made me LAUGH.  Because he was right: I was a knucklehead for backing down on getting the guys info.  And, frankly, for not getting Kevin to focus and get it from him.  To be fair, Kevin thought I had a photo of his I.D.  I don't know how.

Next the deputy asked what information I did have.  "A business card".  He sighs: "I could make a business card. That means nothing."  Again, I'm laughing because he's RIGHT.  "Did you look him up on the internet?" he asked.  I laughed again "You don't know me, sir.  Yes, I did."  I explained what I found and he sighed.  The website has no physical address or PO Box.  Now I'm feeling the fringe of panic.  He assured me it was fine and that it happens and he's certain I would never let this happen again.  Yeah, buddy.

Not to be daunted, the deputy said that he would run the guy's information and get back to me. Oh, and did I at least get a license plate?

...............

.....................

Um, no.  I have photos of EVERYTHING but the license.  OMG.  What the hell, me?

So after a little bit of education/teasing, he asked for the condition of the truck and exact location of the accident.  I explained that he parked it away from us and left.  This did not sit well with the deputy. Yet there was a little bit of sadistic glee in his voice when he said he would go look for the truck and then do all the police stuff.

Again, he reassures me that while I screwed up, it was going to be fine.

Then I phone Kevin, who is somewhere on the property and explain that we made a mistake in not holding our ground to get the information AND not phoning 911.  Now he's spun out AGAIN.  We decide that we would go look for the truck because certainly we were closer than the deputy.

We weren't.  The deputy was already there.  Hooray!  He and Kevin hit if off almost immediately and he laughed when I introduced myself as Surely the Knucklehead.

"Go take a photo of the license plate.  The front one" he instructs.  This wasn't easy because of the, you know, plow but I got it done.  Then he looks up the information, finds the guy, and works on his computer for a minute.  Then we hear a phone ring....he is phoning the dude as we stand there.  OMG.

I am a little in love with this deputy now.  "Hello this is Deputy CoolGuy of the County Sheriff's Department.  It's my understanding that you left an accident without providing insurance or identification to the other party.  That is considered a hit and run and a crime.  I would strongly suggest that you call me back as soon as possible."

Now I am not the one in trouble and I am flop-sweating.  But I'm also trying not to audibly laugh and be overheard on the voicemail, like the sibling who didn't get in trouble.  He disconnected and asked a few more clarifying questions.  This is where I take out my phone and call up the photos.  "Look, I have everything!" as I hand him my phone.  "Except the license plate" he quips.  omg. I love smartasses.

After all of that, where we were parked was Sketch Level 100 so Kevin offered to have the deputy follow us to our road and safely park.  He gladly took us up on the offer.  Of course the neighbors are outside playing in the snow as the Sheriff follows us into the driveway.  Of course.  It gave us a good story to tell and got a good photo out of it.

I've filed claims with our insurance company and now his. It was a little fun to tattle and explain how their client left an accident scene without doing the proper things.  It was also nice that the insurance company's FIRST question was "Is everyone okay?"

Now we're stuck at the insurance company's mercy and at the snow's mercy too.  It's not supposed to stop until Monday-ish then be really cold so we're in it for a while. Also, we are waiting for the guy to respond to the officer, who will then let us know the next - if any - step on that front. 

For the rest of the day, Lucy and I played in the snow and laid on the floor in front of the fire. We agreed that it is a rest and cookies day for the remainder of the day.

Despite all of that, look how beautiful it is: