Truck Auto Pedestrian Collision Expert Witness

ACTAR
Senior Accident Reconstructionist

Experience

I was a police officer with the Escondido Police Department for over thirty years, beginning in 1974 and retiring in 2004.  During my service with the Police Department my assignments included: Patrol Officer, Traffic Motorcycle Officer, Accident Investigator/Reconstuctionist, Sergeant, Training Manager, Special Investigations Unit Commander, Lieutenant/Watch Commander, Special Weapons and Tactics Commander, Uniform Bureau Captain, Services Bureau Captain, Investigations Bureau Captain and Deputy Chief of Police.
My assignments from 1975 through 1986 were crime scene preliminary investigations, accident investigations and accident reconstruction.  During eight of those years my duties focused on accident investigations and accident reconstruction.  Thereafter, from 1986 through 1994, my primary duties were the supervision of criminal investigations and accident investigations, plus the scheduling and management of personnel.  From 1994 through 2004 I oversaw the units responsible for criminal and accident investigations.
Since 2004, I have been licensed as a Private Investigator.  My specialties are in investigations of employee misconduct, and accident analysis/reconstruction.
During my career with the Police Department, I qualified and testified as an expert in accident investigation/reconstruction in Municipal Court, Superior Court, and on numerous depositions. In addition, I investigated hundreds of injury/fatality vehicle and pedestrian collisions.

Education
Associates of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Palomar College, San Marcos, California (1974).

Bachelor of Public Administration from National University, San Marcos, California (1990).

FBI National Academy graduate (Class, 171, 1991, Quantico, Virginia).

Master of Arts in Human Behavior Degree from National University, San Diego, California (1998)

Professional Certification and Licenses
California Private Investigator’s License #PI 24528

P.O.S.T. – Basic, Advanced, Supervisory and Management Certificates

The Accreditation Commission for Traffic Accident Reconstruction: accredited Traffic Accident Reconstructionist, ACTAR

Formal Training
•    San Diego Police Department Academy (16 weeks, 1974)
•    FBI Crime Scene Investigation Course (40 hours, 1977)
•    San Diego Police Department Motorcycle Training Course (40 hours, 1977)
•    California Highway Patrol “Accident Investigation Course” (40 hours, 1978)
•    California POST “Contingency Planning for Hazardous Material Accidents (40 hours, 1980)
•    Accident Investigation and Reconstruction Seminar by James Galion (40 hours, 1981)
•    Traffic Program Management, California State Polytechnic University (40 hours, 1984)
•    Advanced Traffic Accident Investigation/Reconstruction, Northern California Criminal Justice Training and Education System (80 hours, 1984)
•    Los Angeles Sheriff’s Academy, “Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Course” (80 hours, 1985)
•    Traffic Accident Reconstruction II, The Traffic Institute, Northwestern University (40 hours, 1988)
•    FBI National Academy, Quantico, Virginia (13 weeks, 1991)
•    Background Investigation Course, Sacramento Regional Public Safety Training Center (32 hours, 2004)
•    ARC-CSI Crash Conference (28 hours, 2006)
•    Basic Crash Zone (a course in the use of CAD software in accident diagramming, 18 hours, July 2006)
•    Advanced Crash Zone (a course in the use of CAD software in accident diagramming and reconstruction, 27 hours, August 2006)
•    Background Investigation Update, South Lake Tahoe (Legal and procedural update, October 2006) • Sokkia 530 RK3 Total Station Training (Ontario, California, Visual Statement, Sam Elsaid, 8 hours, February 13, 2007)
•    Vista fx3 Suite, 2D/3D Computer Diagramming, Animations, Photogrammetry, Simulations, Computer Reconstruction Calculations (Visual Statement, Beverly Hills Police Department, 40 hours, February 2007)
•    C.A.2R.S. Conference, South Lake Tahoe (Accident Investigation/Reconstruction from Start to Finish, 20 hours, November 2006)
•    Special Problems in Traffic Crash Reconstruction, Institute of Police Technology and Management, University of North Florida (Jacksonville, Florida, 28 hours, April 2007)
•    Recording and Documenting Vehicle Damage from Total Station or Damage Jig (C.A.2R.S. Quarterly Training, Orange County Sheriff’s Department Training Facility, August 22, 2007)
•    Reconstruction Toolbox, a compilation of technical topics in accident reconstruction (C.A.2.R.S. Annual Conference, Anaheim, California, October 18 – 20, 2007)
•    Traffic Crash Reconstruction Update, Institute of Police Technology and Management, University Of North Florida (Conducted in Gresham, Oregon, January 14-18, 2008. 40 hours)
•    The CrashZone 8 Training in advanced CAD scene documentation and animations–The CAD Zone, Inc.– George Maglaras: Instructor (Conducted in Las Vegas, Nevada, October 5-8, 2009. 32 hours)

Professional Memberships
•    California Association of Licensed Investigators
•    ARC (Accident Reconstruction) Network
•    FBINAA (Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy Associates Graduates)
•    California Police Officers’ Association
•    CA2RS (California Association of Accident Reconstructionist Specialists) Network
•    Society of Automotive Engineers

Services Offered
Traffic Accident Investigation
Accident Reconstruction
Scene Mapping
2D/3D CAD Diagramming
Incident Investigations
Consultations

Equipment
1 X Sokkia 530RK3 Total station
Accelerometer FX3 Visual Statement (Reconstruction Programs: 2D/3D computerized scaled diagramming, reconstruction calculations, 2D/3D animation, photogrammetry and simulations)
Crash Zone Version 8.53 Collision Diagramming Software Accident Reconstruction Professional Software