Bob Sands

In another, she goes off the road to the left and can't get back on the road.

In another, she goes off the road to the left and can't get back on the road.

He pulls up A.O. Pipkin's original photograph, showing the damage to the rear of Karen's car. Two dents, one is on the fender, just behind the left rear tire. The other is on the bumper. But first, there's something else in the photo that catches Steve's eye.

He pulls up A.O. Pipkin's original photograph, showing the damage to the rear of Karen's car. Two dents, one is on the fender, just behind the left rear tire. The other is on the bumper. But first, there's something else in the photo that catches Steve's eye.

Then Steve shows us a simulation of what it would have looked like if a second car comes up behind Karen, taps her from behind, and keeps going.

Then Steve shows us a simulation of what it would have looked like if a second car comes up behind Karen, taps her from behind, and keeps going.

Then there needs to be some kind of force that's powerful enough to make Karen's car go over to the left-hand side of the road. That force could have been her steering. Maybe she's scared and reacting to what's happening. Or maybe she hit the brakes. But when it comes to a phantom vehicle, dinging Karen's bumper and fender and forcing her to go left... Here's the question Steve asks.

Then there needs to be some kind of force that's powerful enough to make Karen's car go over to the left-hand side of the road. That force could have been her steering. Maybe she's scared and reacting to what's happening. Or maybe she hit the brakes. But when it comes to a phantom vehicle, dinging Karen's bumper and fender and forcing her to go left... Here's the question Steve asks.

And while he said he didn't do an exhaustive search, Steve could not find a car with a bumper that was low enough to do the job.

And while he said he didn't do an exhaustive search, Steve could not find a car with a bumper that was low enough to do the job.

Steve goes back to this idea that law enforcement had that maybe the dent was caused by the tow truck driver who pulled it out of the culvert that night. Pipkin and the FBI tested it for cement residue and didn't find any. But Steve is skeptical.

Steve goes back to this idea that law enforcement had that maybe the dent was caused by the tow truck driver who pulled it out of the culvert that night. Pipkin and the FBI tested it for cement residue and didn't find any. But Steve is skeptical.

Where Pipkin thought there was circumstantial evidence to suggest a second car, Steve doesn't see it. Again, he can't definitely rule it out. But as he spoke, I felt the phantom vehicle get even more shadowy.

Where Pipkin thought there was circumstantial evidence to suggest a second car, Steve doesn't see it. Again, he can't definitely rule it out. But as he spoke, I felt the phantom vehicle get even more shadowy.

And then Karen Silkwood's sister, Rosemary, spoke up. But her question wasn't for Steve. It was for A.O. Pipkin's daughter.

And then Karen Silkwood's sister, Rosemary, spoke up. But her question wasn't for Steve. It was for A.O. Pipkin's daughter.

Steve acknowledged the heaviness in the room. For the last two hours, he was explaining Karen Silkwood's fatal car crash in technical terms, the way he might typically do in a courtroom. Now he was speaking to family members who knew the driver of this car, loved her, family members who for years had been grasping for some kind of resolution that kept evading them.

Steve acknowledged the heaviness in the room. For the last two hours, he was explaining Karen Silkwood's fatal car crash in technical terms, the way he might typically do in a courtroom. Now he was speaking to family members who knew the driver of this car, loved her, family members who for years had been grasping for some kind of resolution that kept evading them.

Steve has told us that's why he does this work. The science can help families know more about what happened and maybe give them some sense of peace. He wasn't able to answer all the questions we had going into this, but he did answer one big one, and Karen's sister Rosemary was grateful for that.

Steve has told us that's why he does this work. The science can help families know more about what happened and maybe give them some sense of peace. He wasn't able to answer all the questions we had going into this, but he did answer one big one, and Karen's sister Rosemary was grateful for that.