VISTA, Calif. – A motorcyclist who collided with a California Highway Patrol (CHP) car while it was attempting to remove a ladder from a freeway in Solana Beach has been awarded $3 million by a North County jury. The settlement is intended to cover both past and future medical expenses for the rider, Christopher Carlisle, who was hospitalized for over a month and a half following the 2021 crash. Carlisle, 63, has undergone 13 surgeries estimated to have cost more than $1.7 million.
In his negligence lawsuit filed against Officer Robert Schmidt and the CHP in Vista Superior Court, Carlisle sought compensation strictly for medical expenses and not for any other damages. Attorney Corey Garrard, representing Carlisle, acknowledged the importance of the work done by CHP officers while emphasizing the need to acknowledge and address any mistakes made. According to Garrard, the jury’s role was to hold the defendants accountable for their actions in this case.
The CHP declined to comment on the litigation, and a transcript from the trial’s closing arguments indicated that the state argued that the officer had not committed any wrongdoing. One significant point of contention during the trial was whether the officer had adequately notified drivers behind him when he stopped to remove the ladder, which was located on the edge of a carpool lane.
The crash occurred on August 31, 2021, around 4:20 p.m., during the evening rush hour on southbound Interstate 5, south of the Lomas Santa Fe exit. The plaintiff’s trial brief noted that the officer received notification about the ladder while in Oceanside. However, before heading to the scene, he made a stop to issue a speeding ticket, which took approximately 15 minutes. It was during his subsequent journey south to find the ladder that Schmidt encountered unexpected delays and did not perform a traffic break to slow down vehicles behind him.
Instead, the officer stated that he activated his rear-facing amber lights and pulled over, positioning his patrol car partially on the shoulder and partially on the traffic lane. The plaintiff’s trial brief maintained that surrounding drivers abruptly hit the brakes, creating a hazardous situation for the motorcyclist. According to Carlisle, cars around him began swerving, and when the car in front of him moved, he suddenly saw Officer Schmidt only a car length ahead. In an effort to avoid hitting the officer, Carlisle attempted to lay his Harley Davidson motorcycle down, resulting in a collision with both the CHP car and the concrete freeway railing (known as a K-rail). The officer managed to leap over the K-rail to avoid being struck.
Carlisle adamantly maintains his innocence regarding the crash and expresses ongoing frustration with the situation. He continues to experience significant pain and anticipates undergoing at least two more surgeries. While the awarded amount of $3 million is substantial, it falls short of the approximately $1.7 million Carlisle anticipated for future medical expenses. Despite being grateful for the settlement, Carlisle believes that he deserves more compensation considering the ordeal he endured.