Records reveal what led to crash that seriously injured 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan - San Francisco Chronicle

What the report says

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that a California traffic-collision database initially attributed the July 14 crash that seriously injured San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan to an unsafe turn by a 21-year-old woman driving a Mercedes SUV in Palo Alto. The Chronicle said the database listed Shanahan as not at fault and noted a phone as a factor, but the story was later updated after Shanahan told reporters the record was wrong.

According to the Chronicle, Shanahan said Tuesday that he caused the collision when his phone slipped from his lap and he reached for it, causing him to cross into oncoming traffic. Palo Alto police then issued a statement confirming Shanahan’s account, saying a clerical error had been sent to the state database and that officials were working to correct it. Police said neither driver was cited, which they described as a matter of officer discretion, and said neither party received preferential treatment.

The Chronicle reported that the crash occurred at 6:12 p.m. at Alma Street and Hamilton Avenue near downtown Palo Alto. The database described Shanahan as driving south on Alma Street in a black 2023 Tesla Model S and the Mercedes driver as traveling north in a blue 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300. The records said airbags deployed in both vehicles, both drivers wore seatbelts, neither was found to have been drinking, and the posted speed limit was 25 mph.

The crash matters for the 49ers because it came as the team opened training camp. ESPN reported Shanahan suffered a concussion, broken bones and facial injuries, and the Chronicle said he had not resumed full-time duties while experiencing concussion symptoms. Assistant head coach Chris Foerster and the coordinators have been helping cover his role.