The car accident involving high-profile 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan has raised concerns about police corruption and preferential treatment of celebrities. Shanahan admitted on July 28 that he was responsible for the accident and crashed his vehicle into a 21-year-old driver. Originally, government records showed that Shanahan was NOT at fault. However, Palo Alto Police claims this was a "clerical" error and that Shanahan wasn't cited for the accident because of officer "discretion." 

Complete transparency is crucial in ensuring public trust and accountability in our law enforcement processes. Access to these materials can provide clarity on the circumstances of the incident, address any public concerns, and uphold the principle that nobody, regardless of status, is above the law. Prompt release of these materials will aid in dispelling rumors, preventing misinformation, and solidifying the trust citizens have in their police forces. 

Shanahan claimed publicly that the accident report says he is at fault. However, on July 29, Palo Alto PD denied citizens access to that report to verify the claim. The accident report and the bodycam footage are the only ways to fully verify that there was indeed a "clerical error" and not preferential treatment of a celebrity. 

Suspicion about Palo Alto PD's handling of the accident exists because: 

1.) Palo Alto PD has a history of working closely with the 49ers organization. This relationship features the 49ers paying Palo Alto PD. These past payments can create motive for Palo Alto PD to treat the team's  head coach more favorably than a member of the public. 

2.) There were prior concerns about Palo Alto PD's lack of transparency with the public. For instance, here is a June 2026 article with concerns that officers frequently failed to activate bodycams when they should have.

3.) Palo Alto PD's Nicolas Martinez made statements to the press that the other driver wasn't injured, but CaliCrash data obtained from the State of California shows 2 people were injured.  This discrepancy still hasn't been explained by Palo Alto PD. 

4.) According to a public government website, the 21-year-old driver was at fault for the incident. However, Shanahan himself took responsibility for the incident. This was later called a "clerical error."

5.) Palo Alto PD's Nicolas Martinez made statements to the press that were technically accurate, but favorable to Shanahan. For instance, he said there were no "citations," but did not mention "violations." Shanahan was noted as having a violation of Vehicle Code 23123.5 (a) via a public government website. Martinez's words, in addition to #4 above, created the public perception that Shanahan wasn't at fault, when in fact, he was. 

6.) The rollout of information about this accident was highly unusual and featured 11 days of silence from the media. This 11-day delay theoretically may have allowed time for Palo Alto PD to get its story straight and manipulate the public. The delay in information has been questioned by respected figures like Mike Florio, Dan Patrick, Linda Cohn, Jim Rome and others.  Several members of the media (Chris Simms, Tim Kawakami) have admitted to having information about Shanahan's accident and not reporting on it.

7.) Palo Alto PD is using anonymous sources in the media - A "Police Spokesperson" - further exacerbating transparency concerns. 

8.) According to ESPN, it was 49ers VP of Security Jeremy Jones who told reporters the crash report wouldn't be released. Jones worked with the Santa Clara County Sheriff's office for 15 years and has deep ties to law enforcement. 49ers' Director of Security, Larry Day, worked for 28 years with the San Jose Police Department, including in the Chief of Police's office. The connection between the 49ers security team and local law enforcement, raises further concerns. 

We understand that sensitive information may need careful consideration before public release and that redactions are necessary to protect the identity of others. 

Please sign this petition to hold the Palo Alto Police Department accountable for transparency in this matter. Your voice matters.