Chris Martin Allegedly Strikes Photog ... But Something's Weird

Chris Martin allegedly hit a photog with his jeep as he left a fancy Santa Monica restaurant, but there's something really odd about this one.

Chris and Gwyneth Paltrow went to Giorgio Baldi Restaurant with their 2 kids and all was fine, but on the way out a photog runs up to take their photo and says he was struck by their jeep. An ambulance was called and the pap was taken to the hospital.

Here's the weird thing. The photog who took pics of the accident was standing across the street. It's unclear why a cameraman would be so far away, because there was a clear shot of the family from the restaurant side ... right on the sidewalk. In fact, 3 other photogs were perched right there.

We've never seen a photog take pics from across that street ... so, as we said, it's weird he's the one who got shots of the accident. Also, he and the guy who allegedly got hit have worked together.