The People v. Ashley Anderson

Why would NMUSD Trustee Ashley Anderson commit a hit and run on the same night she was sworn in as a trustee, 12/13/22?

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According to public records, Newport-Mesa Unified School District Trustee Ashley Anderson broadsided another motorist on the night of December 13, 2022 and fled the scene. Earlier that night, she had been sworn in for a second term following the November 8, 2022 general election. The Costa Mesa Police Department investigated the incident in case number 22-019485 and referred the matter to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for review. Ultimately, in Superior Court case number 23WM11764, the DA filed a complaint alleging Ms. Anderson committed the hit and run, which she admitted in a guilty plea on July 17, 2024.

The docket reports that Ms. Anderson received a “Sentenced [sic] Suspended” without any probation, jail time, or other terms and conditions listed.

Additionally, Ms. Anderson is no stranger to driving-related criminal law violations. In 2004, she was convicted of Driving Under the Influence in Orange County. As alleged in the complaint, Ms. Anderson’s blood alcohol content was .25%, over three times the legal limit. She committed this offense on July 8, 2004, and pleaded guilty shortly thereafter on September 2, 2004 in Superior Court case number 04HM06557. In her plea, Ms. Anderson admitted a special allegation that her blood alcohol content was .20% or higher under Vehicle Code section 23578.

The information in this post was derived from publicly available court records and Costa Mesa PD report number 22-019485 obtained via public records request. It was corroborated with other public sources.

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The Hit and Run

*Facts taken from Costa Mesa PD report # 22-019485 unless otherwise noted.

Per the minutes of Newport-Mesa’s December 13, 2022 board meeting, Ashley Anderson was sworn in as Trustee for NMUSD Area 7 that night. She was also voted board president for the 2023 year. The minutes reflect that the December 13, 2022 board meeting adjourned at 8:24 p.m.

Shortly after 10 p.m., the hit and run occurred at the intersection of Placentia Avenue and Victoria Street in Costa Mesa. This intersection is only a ten minute drive from the board meeting location, suggesting that Ms. Anderson could have stopped somewhere first before the collision.

Eyewitnesses reported that the victim (labelled V-2 in the police diagram below) was traveling eastbound on Victoria Street with a green light. Meanwhile, Ms. Anderson (labelled V-1) was traveling westbound on Victoria in the left turn lane. As the victim entered the intersection, Ms. Anderson ran a red light, turning left and broadsiding the rear driver’s side of the victim’s vehicle.

Witnesses said the impact spun the victim’s vehicle at least once, leaving her car pinned against the center median and facing the wrong direction. The victim said she was in shock and complained of pain to her left knee and head; paramedics responded and advised her to head to the hospital.

On the other hand, witnesses reported that, shortly after the collision, a motorist driving a grey Honda CR-V northbound on Placentia Avenue approached Ms. Anderson’s vehicle. Ms. Anderson got into the SUV and fled the scene, leaving her car in the intersection. She did not exchange information with the victim.

By the time officers arrived to investigate, the victim had driven her car to safety in a nearby parking lot. Meanwhile, only Ms. Anderson’s vehicle remained. She apparently left in a hurry; officers found her driver’s license and work identification in the car. Witnesses identified Ms. Anderson as the driver based on these documents.

Ms. Anderson never returned for her vehicle. Officers towed her car and impounded it as evidence. Follow up investigation named Tracy Collins as the registered owner of the Honda CR-V that picked Ms. Anderson up.

Why This Is Relevant

While I acknowledge that not every traffic collision, criminal conviction, or legal imbroglio involving our public officials is newsworthy, this incident is relevant because it demonstrates a pattern of conduct with Ms. Anderson. Just as she was unwilling to face accountability for her meltdown related to the return of a successful gang prevention program, so too did she flee this scene. While everyone makes mistakes, we must be accountable for them and clean up the wreckage, especially when, as here, someone gets hurt. As a public official, Ms. Anderson must do better.

Further, the circumstances of this particular hit and run are suspicious. It occurred an hour and one-half after Ms. Anderson was sworn in for her second term and as board president—plenty of time for her to stop to celebrate somewhere. This was not a minor fender bender or parking lot crash, either. Ms. Anderson broadsided the victim in a busy intersection, sending her car spinning down the street.

When this occurred, Ms. Anderson had already been convicted of one DUI. This time, she bailed in a hurry before police arrived, leaving her driver’s license and work ID behind in her car, which police later towed and impounded.

All of this suggests that despite the severity of the collision, Ms. Anderson did not want contact with law enforcement or the victim.

Call to Action

Accordingly, we must call on NMUSD Trustee Ashley Anderson to explain her actions on the evening of 12/13/22. Why did she flee the scene of this major collision so quickly? What did she have to hide from law enforcement or the victim? What was she up to in the 1.5 hours between the end of the board meeting and the collision?

Finally, who was with Ms. Anderson that night after the board meeting?

Local media outlets such as the Daily Pilot, LA Times, OC Register, and Voice of OC did not report on this at the time it occurred. How did that happen?

Finally, I will note that my investigation of this incident remains ongoing. I will keep you posted!