Public Comment Statement -- Government Neglect, Police Chase, Court Obstruction, and Retaliation…read more
Good evening. My name is Timothy Lal
On February 1, 2020, I was struck head‑on when Vallejo police pursued a juvenile at high speed through a residential neighborhood. The juvenile was driving a stolen, older vehicle; the pursuit could have been ended later without endangering residents. That reckless chase left me with a traumatic brain injury and set off six years of physical, emotional, and financial harm as I have been trying to get help.
Because of the injury and the way government systems responded, I lost thirty years of artwork and intellectual property, family heirlooms, my mother's work, and collections of deep sentimental and monetary value. I was forced into homelessness and endured years of instability. The Vallejo court repeatedly obstructed my attempts to file and pursue my case, offered no meaningful guidance or referrals to support programs, and effectively blocked my access to justice when I needed it most. Their inaction multiplied my suffering.
When I reached out publicly for help, instead of support I faced efforts to silence me. My social‑media accounts were targeted and taken down after I posted about my experience. That felt like retaliation. Rather than connecting me to medical, legal, or housing resources, the system put more effort into keeping me from getting help than into actually helping me.
I want to be clear about one part of this that has not been emphasized enough: the behavior of Vallejo court clerks and records staff. When I presented my situation to them they were adamant about not helping. They sounded bothered and aggrieved that I was expressing the suffering I'm enduring. Their tone, their repeated refusals, and their lack of follow‑through felt negligent and uncaring. This pattern was not limited to one office -- it extended across the Vallejo courts, the records office, and the Vallejo Police Department. The culture I encountered felt deeply wrong for people in positions of public trust. It felt like a criminal work culture; it felt thug‑like. That is how their conduct came across to me, and it contributed directly to years of additional harm.
This is not just about paperwork or delays. This is about dignity and safety. The failures of the police pursuit and the court's refusal to assist cost me my livelihood, my creative legacy, and my sense of humanity. I ask this council to acknowledge the harm caused by these government actions and to take concrete steps to prevent this from happening to others.
I request the following actions:
- An independent investigation into the police pursuit policies that led to my crash and into how my filings were handled by the Vallejo court.
- A full public records production under the California Public Records Act for all communications, filings, and internal decisions related to my case.
- An inquiry into alleged retaliation including any city requests or actions that led to social‑media account takedowns or other efforts to silence public complaints.
- A review of court and records‑office practices and culture, including staff training, complaint handling, and customer service standards, with public reporting of findings.
- Clear, accessible referral procedures so people harmed by government activity are immediately connected to medical, legal, and housing resources.
- Consideration of restitution or remedies for the irreplaceable loss of artwork, heirlooms, and the years of harm I have endured.
I have spent six years trying to get help. I am asking for accountability, transparency, and compassion. Treat this as government‑caused harm that demands a real response.
Thank you for listening.
