Mike Boettcher

It's not what I expected. It's a nice moment, but looking at the rest of the photo, Steve breaks with his old mentor. He doesn't see what Pipkin saw in these stents.

It's not what I expected. It's a nice moment, but looking at the rest of the photo, Steve breaks with his old mentor. He doesn't see what Pipkin saw in these stents.

So Steve thinks it's unlikely that these dents were created by another car, what he poetically refers to as a phantom vehicle. That's a vehicle that's alleged to have been present, but leaves behind no physical evidence. But he doesn't totally dismiss the possibility of a phantom vehicle. He zooms in on the dents.

So Steve thinks it's unlikely that these dents were created by another car, what he poetically refers to as a phantom vehicle. That's a vehicle that's alleged to have been present, but leaves behind no physical evidence. But he doesn't totally dismiss the possibility of a phantom vehicle. He zooms in on the dents.

In the simulation, the phantom vehicle sideswipes Karen's car on the driver's side. Then they have to be parallel for a period of time.

In the simulation, the phantom vehicle sideswipes Karen's car on the driver's side. Then they have to be parallel for a period of time.

Steve actually looked to see if he could find a car that would have been on the road in the early 1970s that had a bumper low enough to cause the kinds of dents we see in Karen's left rear bumper and fender.

Steve actually looked to see if he could find a car that would have been on the road in the early 1970s that had a bumper low enough to cause the kinds of dents we see in Karen's left rear bumper and fender.

I've always said we follow where the facts lead us. I was convinced that a close-up look at the bumper was going to unlock this thing. But in the end, that's not what I was hearing from Steve.

I've always said we follow where the facts lead us. I was convinced that a close-up look at the bumper was going to unlock this thing. But in the end, that's not what I was hearing from Steve.

Steve says even if a phantom vehicle didn't hit her or didn't hit her hard enough to push her off the road, there's still the possibility that Karen was startled and then overcorrected. The intimidation factor.

Steve says even if a phantom vehicle didn't hit her or didn't hit her hard enough to push her off the road, there's still the possibility that Karen was startled and then overcorrected. The intimidation factor.

So what does it all add up to? Steve says there's no evidence to definitively prove or disprove the presence of a phantom vehicle.

So what does it all add up to? Steve says there's no evidence to definitively prove or disprove the presence of a phantom vehicle.

Two hours later, Steve pressed pause on his PowerPoint and opened it up for questions and reactions. People's faces were drawn. This didn't seem to be the definitive closure we were hoping for. There was this uncomfortable pause where no one said anything.

Two hours later, Steve pressed pause on his PowerPoint and opened it up for questions and reactions. People's faces were drawn. This didn't seem to be the definitive closure we were hoping for. There was this uncomfortable pause where no one said anything.

So maybe it was something else. Then Karen's daughter, Christy Riddles, jumped in. She asked a question I think a lot of us had.

So maybe it was something else. Then Karen's daughter, Christy Riddles, jumped in. She asked a question I think a lot of us had.

What it comes down to, Steve explained, is that Karen lost control of the car. but we still don't know why.

What it comes down to, Steve explained, is that Karen lost control of the car. but we still don't know why.