Crime & Safety
No Charges in Berkeley-Albany Crash on Solano
Authorities said they believe a medical condition caused a Berkeley man's erratic driving, and multiple collisions, in February.
Albany police said Thursday they will not recommend criminal charges against the Berkeley man who on Solano Avenue, sending at least two people to the hospital, in February.
"We concluded our criminal investigation," said Lt. Dan Adams of the . "This was a serious traffic collision, but there's no longer a criminal investigation."
Adams said police determined that the primary factor in the collisions was a medical issue, but added that he could not release any additional information.
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The Alameda County district attorney's office said last week there were no pending criminal charges against 56-year-old Shahram B. Farshchi; intially the Berkeley Police Department arrested him on suspicion of leaving the scene of a collision.
Farshchi himself said in February that he while driving that morning on Feb. 20.
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The destruction began in Berkeley and moved into Albany as Farshchi, driving a black BMW, struck parked and moving vehicles in both cities, said Sgt. K. Smith, of the Berkeley Police Department, the day of the accidents.
Farshchi was traveling west on Solano near Colusa Avenue when he rear-ended a Honda that had stopped to allow another car to back out of a diagonal parking spot, Smith said. A woman and juvenile in the car were wearing seatbelts and did not report injuries.
The BMW pushed the Honda into the intersection, then separated from it and continued west on Solano, said Smith.
She said Farshchi was not going "that fast" when he hit the Honda, but that a witness said the BMW accelerated after the collision in excess of the posted speed limit of 25 mph.
The BMW continued into Albany, hitting several vehicles, including at least two moving cars, a Toyota and a Honda, near Ordway Street and Peralta Avenue on Solano, officials said.
There was major damage to one vehicle, and at least four others were affected in the crash, said Capt. John Weitzel of the .
Farshchi told Albany Patch, following the accident, that he had just bought coffee at Peet's on Solano Avenue, and was headed to to buy some groceries.
"I just kind of opened my eyes as it was happening," he said. "I believe I had a seizure, or something similar to a seizure, because I don't remember anything."
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