The Palo Alto Police Department has officially confirmed that San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was at fault for a car accident on July 14, clearing up confusion over the initial collision report. The update comes after Shanahan himself took responsibility for the crash during a press conference earlier this week.
Shanahan, 45, suffered a concussion, broken ribs, a broken nose, and needed 40 stitches above his right eye after the collision near Alma Street and Hamilton Avenue. The 49ers initially disclosed the injuries last Saturday, sparking widespread concern across the NFL.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Shanahan explained that the accident occurred when he dropped his phone and momentarily took his eyes off the road. "I hit her. I don’t know why it was reported that way [on the collision report database]. The police report doesn’t say that. I was going 20 miles an hour," Shanahan said, via ESPN. "I was not on my phone, but I dropped my phone and it was stuck in my seats. It’s on my lap and it slid off. And I went down to look for it and took my eyes off the road for two seconds. And as I was coming up, the airbags hit me in my face, and they broke my nose and then they said the visor really gashed me."
The 49ers coach emphasized the violence of the impact, saying, "When I hit her, the impact was just so, I’ll just never forget how violent it was."
In a statement, the Palo Alto Police Department confirmed Shanahan's account. "Kyle Shanahan’s statement that he provided is correct and that he was found at fault for the collision," the department said. "There was a clerical error in the preparation of the report that was transmitted to the State database. We are in the process of correcting that error." The department added that no citation was issued to either party, which is not uncommon at the officer’s discretion, and that neither party received preferential treatment.
The initial confusion over the report had led to some media scrutiny, but the police clarification now sets the record straight. Despite the severity of his injuries, Shanahan is expected to be ready for Week 1 of the NFL season. 49ers general manager John Lynch told reporters, "The timeline kind of takes care of itself. He’s got to meet certain markers. But I think the expectation is that long before that he’ll be better."
The incident has also drawn attention to how close Shanahan came to losing an eye, adding to the gravity of the situation. The 49ers have not commented further on the accident, but the team is reportedly supporting Shanahan as he recovers.
As the 49ers prepare for training camp, the focus now shifts to Shanahan's recovery and his availability for the season opener. With the police report corrected and Shanahan taking full responsibility, the NFL community can move forward with a clearer understanding of the events.
