Hawaii 5-0

Relax... I wasn't arrested.

Nor did I get to be an extra in the hit TV show.... (working on it though!)

Both would probably have made for cooler blog entries. Sorry... can only use what I have to work with people.

So yes, my experience with "Hawaii 5-0"....

In early July, Richard and I were standing in a parking lot outside of a restaurant, when we heard an extremely loud crash coming from the road near by.

We both proceeded to run out to the street to see what caused the sound. Instantly we observed two people driving an SUV backwards down the road... swerving viciously the entire way. This car had smoke coming out of the front and appeared to have just tail-ended another car, (that was sitting at the light with a smashed backside).

Now... given what you may know about my boyfriend and I, would you guess that we had the same reaction to all this happening so quickly??

Nooooope.

Richard instantly... and I mean, as if it was a freaking REFLEX or something, started running down the sidewalk in the direction which the car was moving (What??!! Who moves towards the danger??!!... weirdo!:).

Apparently he was able to piece all of this scene together, reacting abnormally quickly and knowing that the license plate code would be vital in this scenario. (Yes, secretly a super hero I think).

(I know I sound biased, but I'm telling you it went: loud sound, run to road, see car, boyfriend running down the road--all in less than a minute.)

I however, did not put all of this together nearly as quickly.

No, no... I stood there staring at the car and wondering if there was some malfunction occurring that forced it to fly backwards.

Yes, simultaneously Richard was chasing after these people and I was concerned for their safety (assuming they wouldn't be intentionally acting so nuts).

After a few minutes passed, (and some common sense kicked in), I realized this was in fact a hit-and-run that we just witnessed.

Shortly after, Richard returned back. Though unable to retrieve the plate info personally, he successfully managed to send two more of our friends (who were driving by at the time) on a chase to accomplish the task.

So the cops arrived and started talking to us. We answered a few questions and then I left to go inside the restaurant and eat dinner. Within a few minutes, a few of my friends arrived and said that the cops were wanting to talk to me.

Long-story-slightly-shorter... I was the ONLY one who really (and admittedly)  got a look at them and therefore was needed to a) drive by and attempt to identify the suspected criminals (who had been caught at this time), and b) fill out a witness statement.

Wasn't able to confidently complete "a", and "b" seemed like just a formality that would soon be forgotten.

Fast forward three months.... I received a supeona in the mail saying the prosecuting attorney needed me to come be a witness for the trial.

UGH.

Now let me pause to explain... I was watching this unfold in front of me, but I made it VERY clear that I couldn't clearly identify anyone and details were hard to recall as it happened SO fast. I said this to the officers on the day it happened... but didn't seem to matter.

Clearly these people didn't realize I have the memory of a goldfish so three months = I'd be NO help what-so-ever.

Buuuut I showed up to court, ready to say the very little I could recall confidently.

Never went on the stand, (client pleaded guilty), but learned a whole lot about how all this works.

Note to self: Don't get involved unless you are REALLY wanting/able to help see everything through. Otherwise it just ends up being a waste of time and energy.

Three hours outside a courtroom with Richard... simply due to the fact that I  saw it all happen... because what was happening didn't line up in my head fast enough to stop staring. Go figure.

....

On-the-other-hand, who knows how much it strengthened the prosecutor's case simply having an "eye-witness" present??

Who knows, but I like to think it led to some good:)

Oh don't worry... Richard thought this image of me going to attempt to identify the witness was hilarious. Cool... really cool.