San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Tuesday, July 28, that he caused the Tuesday, July 14 crash at Alma Street and Hamilton Avenue by dropping his phone between the seats of his Tesla, reaching for it, and veering into oncoming traffic.

"I hit her," Shanahan said. "I don't know why it was reported that way."

The admission came two weeks after the collision and days after a California Highway Patrol database entry that wrongly blamed the other driver, a 21-year-old woman, for making an unsafe turn came to light following the 49ers' July 25 disclosure of the crash. As we reported July 28, CHP records listed Shanahan as holding a cell phone during the crash and cited a violation of California Vehicle Code 23123.5(a), which prohibits operating a handheld device while driving. He was never cited.

Palo Alto Police Lt. Nicolas Martinez confirmed July 28 that Shanahan was found at fault and that the state database entry blaming the other driver resulted from a clerical error PAPD is correcting. Martinez said officers have discretion over whether to issue citations after crashes and that it is not uncommon for neither party to receive one. He said Shanahan received no preferential treatment, according to the Mercury News.

Neither Shanahan nor the other driver has been cited.

Shanahan's account

Shanahan met with about seven reporters at the 49ers' facility in Santa Clara on July 28. He appeared with a scar above his right eye, a fractured nose, and a cast on his left hand. He lifted his shirt to show bruises on his torso and arm, ESPN reported.

He said he was driving about 20 mph in the 25 mph zone on Alma Street at about 6:12 p.m. on July 14, returning home to Los Altos from a chiropractor appointment in Menlo Park, when his phone slid off his lap. He reached between the seats, took his eyes off the road for about two seconds, and his black 2023 Tesla Model S crossed into the northbound lane and struck a blue 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 SUV. Both vehicles' airbags deployed.

Shanahan sustained a concussion, a broken nose, three broken ribs, a broken left hand, and facial lacerations requiring more than 40 stitches. He was treated at Stanford Hospital for eight to 10 hours and underwent plastic surgery. The other driver suffered minor injuries.

The citation question

PAPD identified Shanahan's phone handling as a contributing factor and listed Vehicle Code 23123.5(a) in its records. A first offense under that statute carries a base fine of $20.

Steven Clark, a legal analyst and former Santa Clara County prosecutor, told the Mercury News that police frequently choose not to cite drivers for phone use in crashes officers did not witness. He said fault findings are often advisory, used to resolve insurance claims rather than determine liability. Clark called the crash a clear example of why drivers should not use phones behind the wheel.

Martinez said PAPD generally issues news releases only for crashes involving fatalities, which is why the department did not publicly announce the July 14 collision. The crash remained unknown for 11 days until the 49ers disclosed Shanahan's condition on Saturday, July 25, the opening day of training camp.

No public record or PAPD statement addresses whether a citation could still be issued now that Shanahan has publicly admitted fault.