49ers coach Kyle Shanahan admits fault in July 14 crash

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has publicly accepted full responsibility for a head-on car crash on July 14 that left him with significant injuries, clarifying that an initial state database entry blaming the other driver was the result of a clerical error. The accident occurred around 6:12 p.m. near the intersection of Alma Street and Hamilton Avenue in Palo Alto, California, as Shanahan was returning home from an appointment.

Shanahan provided his account to reporters on Tuesday, July 28. He stated he was driving his Tesla Model S southbound at approximately 20 miles per hour when his phone slid off his lap and became stuck between the seats. He said he took his eyes off the road to retrieve it, and when he looked up, his vehicle had crossed the double yellow line and collided with a northbound Mercedes SUV. He denied actively using the phone at the time of impact. The other driver, a 21-year-old woman, was not injured.

The collision resulted in serious injuries for Shanahan, including a severe concussion, a broken nose, three fractured ribs, a broken left hand, and a deep facial laceration that required more than 40 stitches. A friend, former NFL quarterback...