BART provides timeline of events for Occupy Oakland pedestrian incident

Our first concern was and is for the safety and welfare of the two individuals who were transported to the hospital Wednesday night with injuries from an apparent auto/pedestrian accident in downtown Oakland. The accident is being investigated by the Oakland Police Department, which has jurisdiction at the accident scene.

However, in the interest of providing accurate information to the public, the following is a timeline of relevant events Wednesday, November 2, 2011.

BART Police officers on the concourse level of the 12th Street Station were approached at approximately 7:20 p.m. by a woman who reported that there had been a car accident that had injured some pedestrians. Concerned for the welfare of the injured, BART Police responded immediately. The officers first on the scene found paramedics already treating the injured and a crowd estimated to be between 100 to 200 onlookers.

A BART Police Lieutenant, Sergeant and the three officers at the accident scene were in radio contact with a BART Police Lieutenant stationed at the City of Oakland’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC). BART Police on the scene observed no evidence of alcohol use by the driver.

The BART Lieutenant at the EOC relayed this information to an Oakland Police Lieutenant at the EOC, who then reported it to a higher-ranking member (Deputy Chief) of the Oakland Police Department. Oakland Police requested BART Police gather information from the driver, his vehicle, the injured pedestrians, including the extent of injuries and the destination hospital; and to turn over the information to Oakland Police for investigation. Oakland Police further advised BART Police to release the driver of the involved vehicle.

The information gathered from the driver included his name, address, driver’s license number and vehicle registration. As that information is part of an active investigation, it is not being released to the public at this time.

The information was turned over the Oakland Police for investigation.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) laws prevent the release of information about the injured pedestrians.

BART’s Independent Police Auditor Mark P. Smith has received a citizen complaint and is opening an investigation.

For more information about the Independent Auditor, go to www.bart.gov/policeauditor.