Crime Scene Investigators

June 29, 2005

Last Saturday after a very long day of moving in appliances and taking copious amounts of trash to the dump, Sander returned the moving truck to Bakersfield.  He ran a few more errands, had dinner with my father, and was scheduled to arrive back home at 10:30 p.m.  At about 10:30 he called home to report that the road was closed at Fountain Springs, just 18 miles away (and the only reasonable way to get home).  He heard that there was a major traffic accident, someone was taken to the hospital, and the road had been closed for over an hour already.  They expected the road to be closed for some time.  Poor Sander decided he was tired enough for a hotel room after such a long day of moving.  He headed to Porterville.  No vacancies.  None in Lindsay, none in Exeter.  Nearly an hour later he found himself in Visalia.

When we heard the story we speculated that by the time Sander got to Visalia, the road had opened up.  But come to find out, the road was likely closed for hours.

According to the most informative source in town, postmaster Dean, the road was closed by crime scene investigators who were collecting forensics evidence.  Apparently a man was left on a turnout on the road, dead. 

These sorts of things don’t tend to happen here in the California Hot Springs area.  In fact, in my memory here since 1982, I don’t remember any deaths with suspicious circumstances.  This incident will likely be remembered by many residents in time and space.  In time:  it was a month or two before the man was found near Fountain Springs.  In place:  take a right about a half mile after the turnout where the man was found.  You know, near where the Jesus rock used to be and where that rock got blown up.