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And sassyjane:

I have been away for a while, so I missed everything after the first 50 posts on this and I felt an obligation to read every one of them before I said anything.

As luck would have it, surfer had to leave before I could read all of them.

Obviously there were many different news sources and not all of them were on the same page, so there is no reason for anyone to get their nose out of joint because they are reading something different.

As for the daughter, I heard her on my XM while driving yesterday and I can tell you that she was very uncomplimentary towards the SC law enforcement. I am not saying she was justified or not. Simply telling you what I heard. She was particularly put out that the detective in charge had Friday off and that there was no one to sub for him. When she called back, on Monday I believe but again don't hold me to the day because I sure am not taking notes on this while I drive in I-40 traffic, she was mad as could be because the person she talked to did not even know who she was and what it was all about.

She was asking for the FBI and volunteers to help because the SC LE was doing nothing (her words, not mine).

So with that in mind, I would not be surprised at anything she or her family said. Angry people do that. Nor would I be surprised that she said one thing in anger and something else after she cooled off, maybe to another reporter representing a different network.

As for my take on it, I have two questions. Why didn't the 911 caller stay and if he/she did not, why did the 911 operator not find out who called?

In NC, I believe that all 911 systems have the ability to determine the
number of the caller. In addition, it is a felony to leave the scene of an accident if you are involved. NC is not easy on those who do not.

There is no law in NC that requires a witness to an accident to stop or to render aid.

I don't really fault the State Patrol for not finding the car immediately.
For all I know, he took a look and then got another call or saw something like a truck running 80 and had to go on.

I am just guessing, as I have no idea.

On the other hand, I do feel that when they get a call from someone who says they saw a collision that someone should spend serious time
investigating.

It was only last week that the Canadian cops kicked a woman's door in and arrested her because she would not open her door and let them in after dialing 911 by accident. I would think a wreck report would get the same attention.

howlin and surfer fought for 300 posts as to what "collision" means. I also find that interesting. If I had called 911 and I saw a car run off the road, I would have said something like " I just saw a car go off the road".

If I saw one roll, I would have said "A car just turned over and went
through the guard rail" or whatever.

So the word "collision" is interesting.

I realize a lot of people when excited, and almost as many when not, will choose inappropriate words. But the very people that are generally careless with words are most likely to say "wreck" for everything from a two car collision to a rollover to collision with a tree.

So that makes the use of that word even more interesting.

It could even be that the caller thought he saw a collision (contact) when in fact another car just got so close to the SC car that it was forced to take evasive action and lost control. If in fact there was a problem with a tire, it does not take much of a swerve to turn into something exciting.

sassyjane, you are not the only LE following this. I don't see the others getting upset. Be cool. If you really are associated with LE, you had better get used to it or you will go nuts. Learn to handle it.

The caller said that there was a car in the ditch; he didn't say a word about collision.

There is no law in NC that requires a witness to an accident to stop or to render aid.

I think there is a law that states just that; I am thinking I heard David Crabtree on WRAL say that the other night, but I can't find it right this minute.

From WRAL:

"I just passed exit 141 and in between where (U.S. Highway) 64 connects with 95 at exit 141. There is a car in the ditch," the caller said. "There's a car in the ditch. It's in the swamp area, lights on and everything."

The Highway Patrol, a rescue squad and the Nash County Sheriff's Department searched up and down I-95 from mile marker 138 to mile marker 141 but couldn't find anything.

"They were unable to locate (it), not seeing any evidence on the roadway of the crash or seeing off the roadway," said Lt. Everett Clendenin of the Highway Patrol.

__SNIP___

"It would have been helpful had someone been there to direct us to where the vehicle had left the roadway. We didn't have that," he said. The Highway Patrol is talking with the motorist who called 911, but they don't plan to charge him with leaving the scene of an accident, Clendenin said.

I heard them say that the trunk on the car was open, so I am thinking that it sank very quickly and that's why they didn't see it when they went by.