A huge model rocket fell out of the sky and cracked my hood — kid's dad is blaming ME somehow??

Something similar happened to me — not a rocket, but a neighbor's trampoline blew into the street during a storm and totaled my front bumper. The homeowner pulled the same 'prove it was mine' routine. What finally cracked it open was the police report AND a neighbor's doorbell camera. Definitely ask around to see if anyone nearby has footage. That report you already have is gold though.

Not legal advice, but generally speaking, when someone launches a projectile from their property and it causes damage to a person or vehicle on a public road, there's a pretty straightforward negligence argument — they had a duty to ensure it landed safely, they didn't, you got hurt. The dad's speed theory is almost certainly a nonstarter if the damage is consistent with a vertical impact. Small claims is absolutely designed for exactly this kind of dispute. Document everything now while it's fresh.

Former auto adjuster here. The dad refusing to give homeowners info is actually a pretty common stall tactic — some people think if they just delay long enough you'll give up or file under your own coverage. Don't. Send a written request (even a text works as a paper trail) asking for his homeowners carrier name and policy number. If he ignores it, that's documented stonewalling you can bring to small claims. Also, get two or three repair estimates in writing ASAP — you'll need them regardless of which route you go.

The police report is genuinely your strongest asset right now. Make sure you get the full report (not just the incident number) and read it carefully — if the officer noted the launch location or spoke to the kid, that's essentially a third-party record establishing where the rocket came from. For small claims, you'll typically just need the report, your repair estimates, and a clear written timeline of what happened and the communication attempts afterward. Most small claims filings are pretty simple forms.

File in small claims, name both parents, bring the police report and your repair quotes. The 'you were speeding' argument is nonsense and a judge will see through it in about thirty seconds. Stop texting the dad — switch to email so everything is in writing — and don't say anything that could be read as you accepting any fault.

Ugh, the fact that this dad is trying to flip this on you is so frustrating. You were just driving down the street! I'm glad you're okay and that you kept your cool enough to call the police right away. Don't let him bully you into dropping it.