we lived in California twice, down south in the San Bernadino area (Fontana) while owrking for BEchtel Power, and up north in the San Jose area while working for GE. Even then, in the 1980s, this was the case.This is California where the jails are full so they let off lesser offenders. My car look like it handled the rough ride so it ended up just being just scratches on the bumper. The officer said they would go through the numbers but he told me the truth that since nothing serious resulted, not much was going to happen.
It's sad, and it is not right...but, as this thread indicates...it is also life.
Sorry you had to experince that side of it, and glad apparently that your vehicle was not badly damaged.