Why would he ever ever ever ever “admit” to being the driver if he’d had any alternative plausible story? The last thing on earth he wanted, once the accident fatality happened, was to be associated with it in any way. If he’d been able to pretend that he wasn’t the driver he would have done so. He tried a couple of options (trying to establish a fake alibi, trying to get his cousin to lie for him) in that direction, briefly, but realized there was no getting away with such a cover story.
I agree that it does seem incredible that he would have been able to get out of that upside down car, at night, in water, but why would he ever claim to be the driver if he could have plausibly maintained that he was never even there?? He would have had it made if he thought he could get the police and coroner to report that Mary Jo had been alone or that someone other than Teddy had been involved. He saw no such option and so “came clean” (to a very limited extent) that he was the driver. I can’t see him ever doing that if he could have maintained any plausible denial.
Maybe the car landed on its side, with the driver's side up, and he was able to get out before it rolled completely over. I can completely envision him standing on Mary Jo's body to get out of the car, leaving her there when it rolled over on its top, slamming the driver's side door closed ...
He changed his story. In the end, he came across as being the hero, who tried to save the girl.
I think he may have thought he was the driver. I think he blacked out, and probably did not recall getting out of the car, when Look saw them.
Regarding the story, he left the party to go down to the beach with her. she left her purse at the party. They told no one they were leaving.
I think he surmised that the truth would be worse that the story he gave.
Truth:”I left the party with Mary Jo to get some fresh air at the beach. We passed a squad car. I was driving, and had Mary Jo stop the car and let me out. I didn’t want to be caught in the car with her by the police. It would have looked bad. Mary Jo drove off to the beach. I followed her there, and didn’t see the car when I got there and surmised that she had gone back to the party. I laid down on the beach and took a nap. I woke up after a couple hours and swam back to my motel room.” etc.
I contend that the only thing this guy remembered was that he was driving the car. I don’t think he remembers anything.
Have you ever spoken to an alcoholic who’s had a black out? They are in a panic. They remember nothing. It scares them. I’m sure this guy was too smashed to recall anything.
Maybe it wasn't an accident? Maybe the accident was staged to deflect from something worse, or darker?
ML/NJ