A crash reconstruction expert testified Friday in the trial of an ex-Hollywood cop accused of fabricating reports to protect a fellow officer.
Expert Donald Felicella, testified on behalf of the state that according to physical evidence, an officer crashed into a stopped vehicle, which is contrary to a police report that the driver abruptly switched lanes.
Dewey Pressley is accused of shifting the blame of a traffic accident caused by officer Joel Francisco to a civilian driver, Alexandra Torrens-Vilas. The alleged cover-up was caught on a dashboard camera recording.
"A little Walt Disney to protect a cop, doesn't matter she's drunk anyways," Pressley was recorded as saying on the dashboard camera.
On Thursday, day three of the trial, Torrens-Vilas took to the stand for the second time since the trial's start. The defense questioned her for more than three hours about the Feb. 16, 2009 incident.
"I was intimidated and very nervous when speaking with the police officer," Torrens-Vilas said in court.
Officials say Pressley distorted the facts the night Francisco rear-ended Torrens-Vilas in Hollywood. She was reportedly intoxicated while driving, but officials say Pressley fabricated a story to point the finger at her as the reason for the crash.
"I don't make things up ever because its wrong. But, but, if I need to bend it a little bit to protect a cop. I'm going to," Pressley was recorded as saying by the dashboard camera.
"I hear you man," the second officer was recorded as saying.
