OT. Legal Question?

I will make this as short as possible and normally wouldn't post off topic but this is kinda stressing me out and I may be worried for nothing.

Friday afternoon my 24yr old son was taking my 15 yr old daughter to a summer job interview and they were out front at the bus stop and I was sitting on the balcony and could look across the street and see them.

All of the sudden I look up and see a police helicopter circling overhead and while watching that I heard horrible loud noise and look back in time to see a red car spinning at a high rate of speed down the road

I take off running since I no longer see my kids at the bus stop and as im running (don't know how) I hear 2 crashes metal on metal. I get out there my son was helping an older lady sit on the curb away from her car that was on the curb abutting a concrete parking garage wall and totalled,gas leaking everywhere.

Across the street next to a putt putt golf course in a vacant lot sits a red Cadillac also totalled with no one in it and the driver door open. I asked my son as im scanning to see if they were ejected from the vehicle what happened. I see police driving on the beach access rd and one making sure the lady was OK and directing traffic.

He says the driver of the Cadillac was being followed by the helicopter that he had stolen the car. When he noticed the police he sped up and lost control and hit the lady. He jumped out an ran the helicopter was still trying to find him.

My son says them, there were 2 people got out and ran. The officer says are you sure and my son starts describing them and what they were wearing. The officer relays the info and a few mins later he gets my son saying they got 2 and they needed him to id them. They put him in a detective car and go to both places they had caught them. He makes positive id.

They have him write a statement and sign it.

The dilemma is this. Both of them were juveniles at 17,both are known gang related, this was part of a big
Stolen car ring operating under this gang and were being watched in an undercover sting. Both of these young men were armed with stolen guns.

The dilemma, my son obviously will have to appear against them as he identified them as driver and passenger.

Who has access to those police reports? Are they public record? Can the boys get them? It has all our address and phone numbers and they know my son identified them the police took him up there to look at them,

This gang is bad bad bad and im worried. My daughter saw them run but didn't identify them since she was too far away. They may not know that.

Just worried they may try to retaliate in some way and wanted to know if they can get our info off the police report.

Any helps greatly appreciated

Hi Vickie,

You son did a great deed.
However, I understand your concern about your son's safety. Not familiar with the law there, but I think your info is personal and it should not be given out or included in the report that the 'bad guys' lawyers (i.e. if one is representing them) will have access to.

The station should be able to assist you with this. If not, maybe there's a rep in your area who you can direct this question to to help you?

UA

Every jurisdiction is different but, I do not believe your son will be required to testify against the knuckleheads. The LEO's just needed a "description" of the bad-guys in-order to know who they were looking for.
It has been my experience, whenever you provide any information to the police, they want to know who provided it to them. There are vendictive people in this world that would give false information just to get back at someone for something.

Take care and again, thanks for the support you provided during my tough time.
John

Think your son did a great and heroic deed myself. Other than aiding in the identification of the "bad guys", I wouldn't think he would be needed to testify in open court. Sounds like the "bad guys" in this case will already have an open rap sheet, and with the actual facts of the case at hand, it should be all that's needed to hopefully get a conviction, and get this scum off the streets.

And in most areas, there are Victim Advocate divisions within the different law enforcement divisions, and they may be able to put your mind at ease.

David

In my state, police reports are open to the public with all parties info listed. Your son did an awesome thing & I am sure you are very proud of him. But, I am like you, I would be worried. Call your police dept & ask them if these reports are open records.

Take care....Susie

Police reports are available to anyone directly involved. If your names on it you can get it. The insurance company can get it and anyone's attorney of record.

The only protection here are the 2 that stole the car and their names wont appear except via the prosecution since they are minors??

Gotta protect those criminals.

Someone from the prosecutors office is supposed to call me Monday.

Thanks Sandi they gave us one of their cards. Im probably worrying for nothing but we have a trial going on now down here where 2 witnesses were shot and killed.

Thanks everyone for pointing me in the right direction.

Here in my state if it is an actual offense not involving vehicles they black out the names of everyone involved. You are so right about them looking out for the criminals, they have more rights than we do.

What is really sad is the lady involved in this will have to pay for her own damage to her vehicle. When an auto is stolen & involved in an accident you cannot file under the real owner's insurance. It is standard language in auto policy's about stolen vehicles. This is why the insurance companies always ask if a person had permission to drive the vehicle. Really stinks all the way around.

I hope all of this works out & there is no trouble. I don't blame you a bit for being a little worried.