Accident Reconstruction Expert Witness

Expert Witness No. 5

Indiana

Education

Graduate of Indiana State University (Terre Haute, IN), B.S. Degree in Radio and Television Broadcasting, 1958.

Graduate of Northwestern University Traffic Institute's (NUTI) 9½-month "long course" June 1978.  Majored in Accident Investigation; included such subjects as Vehicle Damage Analysis, Human Factors, Tire & Lamp Examination, Vehicle Dynamics (physics, math & engineering principles). Grade for Accident Investigation course: A.

3-week Technical Accident Investigation School, at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy (NUTI instructors), November-December 1979.  Studies included Technical Examination of the Vehicle, Tire & Lamp Analysis, Vehicle Dynamics (formulas, physics, algebra/trig.), "hands on" experiments with critical speed certification, human drag factors,
vehicle damage analysis, and minimum speed from skidmarks.

2-week Accident Reconstruction School, June 1980, Minnesota.  Studies included Geometric Construction (scale diagrams), Derivation of Formulae, Time-Distance Equations, Perspective Grid, Actual Reconstruction of Real Accidents and "hands on" experiments with critical speed, drag box documentation, and minimum speed from skidmarks.

First person in the country to complete the Motor Vehicle Accident Reconstruction and Cause Analysis course, through the University of Utah (six-week course), June 1982. Studies included Vehicle Components (steering, braking, suspension & electrical systems), Vehicle Motion Analysis, Accident Avoidance Analysis, Human Factors, Collision Analysis
and Accident Reconstruction (math, physics, engineering principles).

Continuing Education

2-week Accident Reconstruction School at NUTI, Evanston, Ill., June 1987.

3-day IATAI Accident Reconstruction Conference for continuing education at Illinois State University, October 1987, '88, '89, '90 (keynote speaker); '91, '92, '94 (also lectured on Underride Accidents); '95, '96, '97, '98 and '99.  To MwATAI conference in Iowa (keynote
speaker) May 1992.

2-day Motorcycle Accident Reconstruction Course at NUTI, July 1987.

1-week course on Microcomputer Assisted Programs for Traffic Accident Reconstruction (MAPTAR) featuring the EDCRASH computer program, NUTI, March 21-25, 1988.

"Advanced Traffic Accident Reconstruction with the Use of Microcomputer," featuring the SLAM computer program, IPTM, May 22-26, 1989.

Completed the training course Seatbelt/Child Restraint Accident Investigation (IPTM's program) at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy, June 9-10, 1988.

Attended University of North Florida's Institute of Police Technology & Management (IPTM) "Special Problems in Accident Reconstruction" courses for continuing education in April of the following years: 1985, skidding tractor-semitrailer accidents; 1986, bicycle and pedestrian accidents, modified vehicles, anti-lock brakes; 1988, ABS, pedestrian accidents,
human factors, night vision, 360o momentum, validity of AI devices (such as the VC-200 electronic accelerometer), vehicle rollovers & airborne speed, fatigue failures; 1989, trailer swing, human factors, crush deformation, time/distance.

Also at IPTM: 1990, marine, RR grade crossing & motorcycle accidents, tire/road friction; 1991, trailer underride, sudden acceleration, motorcycle & pedestrian accidents, occupant strike zones, critical speed and vehicle stiffnesses; 1993, nighttime accidents, tractor-semi trailer jackknife, lamps, friction & energy, occupant/pedestrian injury correlation, and heavy truck deceleration; 1994, truck brake failure, restraint systems, radial tire separation; and presenter of trailer under ride program; 1995, bus accident recon, motorcycle accident reconstruction, vehicle fire analysis, night vision, human factors,
occupant kinematics, and eyewitness testimony vs. physical evidence; 1996, low-speed crashes (including testing), mechanical defect analysis, aerodynamics, tire retread technology; 1998, commercial vehicle accident investigation, tire-causative factors, occupant seating positions, linear momentum; 1999, low speed collisions, American tires, energy methods, pedestrian/bicycle accident investigation.

Attended CRASH '97, a 4½-day seminar at the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX), Law Enforcement & Security Training Division at Texas A&M University (March 24 - 28, 1997).  Topics included staged underride crashes, actual low-speed crash tests, Human response to Low-Speed impacts, Nighttime Vision & Reaction Time; Rollover Accidents, and Coefficient of Restitution.

Completed 3-day Commercial Vehicle Collision Reconstruction course, Allentown, Pennsylvania (October 6-8, 1999) and lectured on Trailer Underride.

Experience and Background

Cryptographer in U.S. Army, 1958-60; honorable discharge.  (cryptography: encoding/decoding messages.)

Appointed to Indiana State Police, Sept. 1, 1968; promoted to Sergeant, October 1976.  Retired Nov. 3, 1988.

First Indiana State Police officer officially designated as a full-time "Accident Reconstructionist,"
1978.  Personally investigated over 1000 accidents and performed several hundred reconstructions during tenure with I.S.P.

Was certified by the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy to teach accident investigation subjects.

Received Governor's (Bowen) Sagamore of the Wabash award for Excellence and Leadership in Accident Reconstruction, December 1979.

The only accident reconstruction consultant invited by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to participate in its first Truck and Bus Safety Summit, Kansas City, March 12-15, 1995.

Teaching Experience

Taught basic accident investigation to ISP recruits at the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy plus taught advanced accident investigation in-service schools, various years.  Co-taught two-week Technical Accident Investigation as Assistant Course Director at West Virginia's State Police Academy for NUTI (October 1987) and co-taught one-week Vehicle
Dynamics Course as guest lecturer for NUTI in Kenosha, Wisconsin (February 1989).

Taught facets of Accident Reconstruction at a Greenwood (IN) seminar put on by the Indiana Association of Certified Accident Investigators.

Taught Heavy Truck dynamics in accident reconstruction for the University of Indianapolis Center for Continuing Education in May 1988, and conducted a Mapping and Measurement in Accident Investigation course February 1989; Guest instructor at the Ohio Peace Officers Training Academy (Evidence from Highway & Vehicle), February 1989.  Gave class on Investigating Articulated Vehicle Accidents at Kentucky State Police Academy, Frankfort, April 26, 1989.

Participated in and guest lecturer (topic: Critical Speed) at the 1991 Collision Dynamics seminar, University of Louisville, March 9, 1991.

Taught Scale Diagramming & Scene Documentation for the San Diego (Calif.) County Collision Investigators Association (September 18, 1992).

Presented special classes on accident investigation to various city and county police agencies; taught facets of accident reconstruction to criminal justice students at Vincennes University; taught physics as it relates to accident reconstruction to high school physics classes in Evansville, IN.  Taught accident investigation & reconstruction techniques to officers at Crane Naval Weapons Storage Center, September 1988 and March 1989.

Lectured on trailer underride accidents: IPTM, Jacksonville, April 1994;  IATAI conference, Collinsville, 1995; combined NATARI/NAPARS conference, Allentown, October, 1999; Nebraska Sheriffs conference, Kearney, 1999.

Lectured on the accident reconstructionist's role to attorneys at Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum (ICLEF), June 3, 1994.

Expert Testimony

As of January 9, 2000, testified as an expert witness in accident reconstruction and offered opinion testimony 148 times in 55 counties in 108 different courts.  This includes being accepted by the Indiana Court of Appeals, twice published, once not published.

Publications

A list of over 100 published articles will be provided upon request.

Professional Organizations

Charter member of IAARS (International Association of Accident Reconstruction Specialists.

Member of SOAR (Society of Accident Reconstructionists).

Past member of NAPARS (National Association of Professional Accident Reconstructionists,
IATAI (Illinois Association of Technical Accident Investigators)

NATARI (National Association of Traffic Accident Reconstructionists & Investigators)

WATAI (Washington Association of Technical Accident Investigators)

Honorary member of MwATAI (Midwest Association of Technical Accident Investigators)

Board Certified

Accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Traffic Accident Reconstruction (ACTAR)