San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan undeniably has a lot on his plate currently. Caught up in a violent accident earlier this month, the biggest question that looms is about his availability for his team, which remained at the top but failed to capture the ultimate glory. But while the organization braces for his potential absence, newly surfaced details from the California Crash Reporting System immediately shifted attention from his physical recovery to the chaotic aftermath of the collision.

After the report from the statewide database of collisions surfaced, a clerical error forced the head coach to come forward and issue a clarification. 

“I hit her,” Shanahan told a small group of Bay Area reporters on Tuesday after the log noted that the 21-year-old woman driving the SUV was at fault. “I don’t know why it was reported that way [on the collision report database]. The police report doesn’t say that.

“I was going 20 miles an hour. I was not on my phone. But I dropped my phone and it was stuck (between) my seats — it was on my lap and it slid off. And I went down to look for it, and took my eyes off the road for two seconds, and as I was coming up, the airbags hit my face and broke my nose. And then they said the visor really gashed me. I took my eyes off the road looking for my phone, and my car veered into someone”

According to Jeremy Jones, the 49ers VP of security, Palo Alto Lt. Nicholas Martinez confirmed the woman’s name on the database was a clerical error when the crash details were entered into the system. The police department also confirmed the same in a statement.

“Kyle Shanahan’s statement that he provided is correct and that he was found at fault for the collision,” the police state Tuesday afternoon. “There was a clerical error in the preparation of the report that was transmitted to the State database. We are in the process of correcting that error.

“It is the officer’s discretion at the scene of the collision as to whether they issue a citation to either party. It is not uncommon for officers to elect to not issue a citation to either party involved in a collision. Neither party in this situation was provided preferential treatment.”

Neither of the two was cited after the accident, as there was no intoxication involved and the two drivers were cooperative with the police. The state DMV records for the last seven years show that Shanahan has had a clean driving record and no accidents until now. 

The accident happened on July 14, around 6:12 p.m., near the intersection of Alma Street and Hamilton Avenue in Palo Alto. Shanahan was heading south, the other driver was heading north, and somewhere in between, their vehicles collided. The other driver, the 21-year-old woman, walked away with minor injuries. But the incident left many questions for Shanahan and the 49ers fandom.

Shanahan’s current status and what his recovery means for the 49ers

After the crash, Shanahan was taken to Stanford Hospital with his face severely swollen and a gash around his right eye. He suffered a severe concussion, broke his nose, three ribs, and his hand. He required more than 40 stitches around his right eye.

Finally, after a ten-hour stay, he was released from the hospital with heavy pain medications. While the cut was not visible on Tuesday, he continues to show some symptoms from the concussion. He has also been having emotional swings, a symptom of concussion.

While there is no concussion protocol for staff members, general manager John Lynch said Saturday that Shanahan will be under a similar procedure as for the players.

Shanahan had to close his eyes momentarily while talking to the reporters in his office and he didn’t downplay how hard the crash hit.

“It’s one of those roads where there’s no forgiveness,” Shanahan said. “When I hit her, the impact was just so, I’ll just never forget how violent it was.”

But this leaves the 49ers fans with a bigger question: What will be Shanahan’s role in the training camp?

The news of the accident was not released until the team revealed it a few days ago as the 49ers began their training camp. Shanahan has been around the team and watched the first two practices on Sunday and Monday from about 30 yards behind the defense alongside Lynch. However, he won’t have his usual involvement with them.

Assistant head coach Chris Foerster and the team coordinators have assumed Shanahan’s duties in his absence. He has already stated that watching Monday’s films gave him a headache.

“It’s not the lights that are bothering me — it looks like it right now — but it’s more just taking stuff in,” he said. “Noises bother me when two people talk to me at once. The music out there (at practice) is killing me. But (my symptoms are) so much better.”

Now, as training camp continues, Shanahan will be working through recovery while trying to lead his team back to the playoffs and further.