An unusual phone call to 911 helped the police solve a hit and run case in Florida, claimed the local police. A woman was arrested following the phone call.
However what was different about the phone call was that the call was not made by any human but by the security system of a car that was allegedly part of the accident. Police said that it wasn't the driver who picked up the phone, but instead it was the car that called for help.
Police at Port St. Lucie claimed that a safety feature that had been installed in a car for security for the passengers in fact helped them to track down a 57-year-old woman - Cathy Bernstein. Police claimed that the woman hit a truck and then lowed through a van on Prima Vista Boulevard.
Police said that Bernstein allegedly fled the scene after the accident and had thought she got away from a hit-and-run, until her own car called the cops. It was the car’s emergency assistance feature that not only made a record of the crash but it automatically contacted 911 informing of the car crash.
Police said that the car was a Ford model.
The security assistance system of the car SYNC, not only made the distress call to the police control room but also gave details to police that included the location of the car and the driver and put Bernstein on the phone with a dispatch.
The security assist system installed in the car is programmed to automatically call the police if the car has been involved in an accident that deploys a car's airbag, said Ford's website
While on the phone, Bernstein initially had denied that she had been in a car accident and told the police operator that a car had only pulled out in front of her black Ford but had not hit her.
The operator seemed skeptical.
"Your car wouldn't call us if someone pulled out in front of you unless there had been an accident," she said in the recording obtained by the local media.
While this conversation was going on, the police were investigating a hit-and-run report on Northwest Prima Vista Boulevard, reported by Anna Preston who said a black Ford crashed into her van and ruined her Christmas presents.
A visit to the registered address of Bernstein's car – her home, police found the black Ford which also had a wrecked front-end. There was silver paint in the wrecked part from Preston's car on it. Police also found the air bag which was deployed. Police claimed that Bernstein tried to cover up the incident and said claimed that she had hit a tree until she finally admitted to hitting a car and leaving the scene. Further questioning revealed that the woman was in fact fleeing after another crash when she rammed into Preston's car.
Both Preston and Bernstein went to the same hospital after the accident.
"I saw her in the hospital. I just went by, and I'm assuming she had a worse night than I did," Preston told reporters.
Bernstein was charged with a hit-and-run, and later released from St. Lucie County Jail.
(Source:www.nydailynews.com)
However what was different about the phone call was that the call was not made by any human but by the security system of a car that was allegedly part of the accident. Police said that it wasn't the driver who picked up the phone, but instead it was the car that called for help.
Police at Port St. Lucie claimed that a safety feature that had been installed in a car for security for the passengers in fact helped them to track down a 57-year-old woman - Cathy Bernstein. Police claimed that the woman hit a truck and then lowed through a van on Prima Vista Boulevard.
Police said that Bernstein allegedly fled the scene after the accident and had thought she got away from a hit-and-run, until her own car called the cops. It was the car’s emergency assistance feature that not only made a record of the crash but it automatically contacted 911 informing of the car crash.
Police said that the car was a Ford model.
The security assistance system of the car SYNC, not only made the distress call to the police control room but also gave details to police that included the location of the car and the driver and put Bernstein on the phone with a dispatch.
The security assist system installed in the car is programmed to automatically call the police if the car has been involved in an accident that deploys a car's airbag, said Ford's website
While on the phone, Bernstein initially had denied that she had been in a car accident and told the police operator that a car had only pulled out in front of her black Ford but had not hit her.
The operator seemed skeptical.
"Your car wouldn't call us if someone pulled out in front of you unless there had been an accident," she said in the recording obtained by the local media.
While this conversation was going on, the police were investigating a hit-and-run report on Northwest Prima Vista Boulevard, reported by Anna Preston who said a black Ford crashed into her van and ruined her Christmas presents.
A visit to the registered address of Bernstein's car – her home, police found the black Ford which also had a wrecked front-end. There was silver paint in the wrecked part from Preston's car on it. Police also found the air bag which was deployed. Police claimed that Bernstein tried to cover up the incident and said claimed that she had hit a tree until she finally admitted to hitting a car and leaving the scene. Further questioning revealed that the woman was in fact fleeing after another crash when she rammed into Preston's car.
Both Preston and Bernstein went to the same hospital after the accident.
"I saw her in the hospital. I just went by, and I'm assuming she had a worse night than I did," Preston told reporters.
Bernstein was charged with a hit-and-run, and later released from St. Lucie County Jail.
(Source:www.nydailynews.com)