Found Deceased CA - John Wooner, 57, city manager, Bakersfield, 14 May 2019

[rosesfromangels]

Many of us suspected self harm but it looks like this was purely an accident. We'll know more after the autopsy (maybe). Do most of you agree that this was accidental?

Either a car failure or animal related.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Valiant]

Brake or car failure are very unlikely. It’s a newer vehicle and was probably maintained by the city’s fleet personnel.

My bet is it was either distracted driving or too fast for conditions.

 

[Canaille]

From 23ABC

"The CHP's preliminary investigation of the crash has not determined the speed or direction of the vehicle when it left Highway 178. The agency said the driver made an unsafe turn and the vehicle left the roadway and went down the embankment and into the Kern River, where it became fully submerged."

How do they know he made an unsafe turn ?

Could an “unsafe turn” have been a u turn?

 

[NervousNellie]

Could an “unsafe turn” have been a u turn?

I'm sure it could be. But I think they will be able to tell whether he went over at a high speed, or (big maybe?) whether he was hit by another car during a U-turn? So many possibilities, and it will require serious forensic investigation to determine what happened. I hope his family get some answers, but in the absence of ever knowing what happened, they can at least put him to rest properly.

edited to correct typo

 

[Valiant]

I'm sure it could be. But I think they will be able to tell whether he went over at a high speed, or (big maybe?) whether he was hit by another car during a U-turn? So many possibilities, and it will require serious forensic investigation to determine what happened. I hope his family get some answers, but in the absence of ever knowing what happened, they can at least put him to rest properly.

edited to correct typo

They can likely tell a lot. Damage from an impact with another vehicle will be different than damage from hitting a tree or rock (one example is paint transfer). Also newer vehicles have a black box data recorder that records a variety of information like speed at impact, if the gas or brake were pressed, etc.

Crash investigators reconstruct accidents all the time, because even when the drivers survive, what they claim may not be accurate.

 

[mojave_red]

This accident could have been just bad luck for JW, plain and simple.

I live in Ridgecrest, CA. I am familiar with CA-178 - it's one of two routes to Bakersfield.

The route east from the mouth of the canyon is very narrow, very winding, and has only sporadic guardrails. I can't find current accident statistics, but I'd wager that not a week goes by without some kind of motor vehicle accident, many of them fatal. It gets snow in the winter, rain in the spring and fall, rockslides, and lots of traffic to Kernville, Lake Isabella, and other scenic places.

Wikipedia, California State Route 178 - Wikipedia: "Turning northeast <from Bakersfield on CA-178>, the route continues to the mouth of Kern Canyon (which is also the northeastern city limits of Bakersfield). For the next approximately 8 miles, the route is a narrow 2-lane road (average width of 18 ft. to 24 ft.), as it ascends the lower Sierra Nevada. Average speed is 35 mph, with sharp turns and steep drop offs." This would be the part where JW went off the road.

Additionally, California Highways (www.cahighways.org): Routes 177 through 184 - and this is an older reference, possibly 2013:
"The canyon segment of Route 178 scores a unheard of 257 on the state's safety index; this means that the canyon portion of Route 178 gets 257% more accidents than would be expected on a mythical state highway with similar average daily traffic."

Also, from the same website: "Currently there are guardrails installed sporadically along Route 178 in the canyon. When Caltrans was asked whether additional guardrails could be installed, the response was that many locations in the canyon only have one or two feet of shoulder, and Caltrans needs more than that to properly and safely install guardrailing."

 

[bykerladi]

unsafe turn could also be told from skid marks on the road, perhaps.

 

[wary]

They can likely tell a lot. Damage from an impact with another vehicle will be different than damage from hitting a tree or rock (one example is paint transfer). Also newer vehicles have a black box data recorder that records a variety of information like speed at impact, if the gas or brake were pressed, etc.

Crash investigators reconstruct accidents all the time, because even when the drivers survive, what they claim may not be accurate.

You’ve completely changed my mind. I said that I thought they’d probably never know if it was accident or suicide. Now I think that the black box data should give them a very good idea. Although—something like inappropriate acceleration might be a medical event? Maybe with the cold water surrounding him, the autopsy might be able to find/eliminate various medical events?

 

[Rosiebones]

He could have blown a front tire by hitting something and veered suddenly off the road and down the embankment into the river.

I still don't understand what he was doing up that road when he had told his wife he was coming home and home was in the opposite direction.

 

[wary]

He could have blown a front tire by hitting something and veered suddenly off the road and down the embankment into the river.

I still don't understand what he was doing up that road when he had told his wife he was coming home and home was in the opposite direction.

What is the timeline? Is there room in it for him to be returning home from up in the mountains?

 

[Rosiebones]

What is the timeline? Is there room in it for him to be returning home from up in the mountains?

BPD: McFarland City Manager, John Wooner missing
He was last seen at the cemetery by cemetery workers at 5:30 in the afternoon. He habitually went home after work and this day he didn't, he went up the canyon road. Whether he went into the river going up or coming back down the canyon road remains to be understood.

 

[Elliot_Alderson]

I feel sort of bad for this guy if he died in a traumatic car accident and you have the city firing him as manager. Hope they feel like little jerks.

 

[rosesfromangels]

I feel sort of bad for this guy if he died in a traumatic car accident and you have the city firing him as manager. Hope they feel like little jerks.

Exactly. Hopefully the family is getting good advice.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[rosesfromangels]

unsafe turn could also be told from skid marks on the road, perhaps.

If there are skid marks, I’m guessing a deer jumped out. If not, heart attack.

Opinion only

 

[ElementalLaura]

I feel sort of bad for this guy if he died in a traumatic car accident and you have the city firing him as manager. Hope they feel like little jerks.

Hopefully this doesn't cause his family any hassles when it comes to job-related death benefits, like life insurance.

 

[wary]

Hopefully this doesn't cause his family any hassles when it comes to job-related death benefits, like life insurance.

Well, clearly he was employed by them at the time when he died. So I can’t see why there’d be a problem with anything like that.

(Not that I’m claiming that I always get the point.)

 

[MimosaMornings]

Unless he took out a separate life insurance policy on his own. Most life insurance through work is only good while you are still employed.

 

[bykerladi]

That's not necessarily true. Actually it would apply as long as the premiums are paid.

 

[Suglo]

That's not necessarily true. Actually it would apply as long as the premiums are paid.

And he was employed at the time of the accident and driving a city vehicle. The family should get a good Workers’ Compensation attorney.

 

[Knox]

This accident could have been just bad luck for JW, plain and simple.

I live in Ridgecrest, CA. I am familiar with CA-178 - it's one of two routes to Bakersfield.

The route east from the mouth of the canyon is very narrow, very winding, and has only sporadic guardrails. I can't find current accident statistics, but I'd wager that not a week goes by without some kind of motor vehicle accident, many of them fatal. It gets snow in the winter, rain in the spring and fall, rockslides, and lots of traffic to Kernville, Lake Isabella, and other scenic places.

Wikipedia, California State Route 178 - Wikipedia: "Turning northeast <from Bakersfield on CA-178>, the route continues to the mouth of Kern Canyon (which is also the northeastern city limits of Bakersfield). For the next approximately 8 miles, the route is a narrow 2-lane road (average width of 18 ft. to 24 ft.), as it ascends the lower Sierra Nevada. Average speed is 35 mph, with sharp turns and steep drop offs." This would be the part where JW went off the road.

Additionally, California Highways (www.cahighways.org): Routes 177 through 184 - and this is an older reference, possibly 2013:
"The canyon segment of Route 178 scores a unheard of 257 on the state's safety index; this means that the canyon portion of Route 178 gets 257% more accidents than would be expected on a mythical state highway with similar average daily traffic."

Also, from the same website: "Currently there are guardrails installed sporadically along Route 178 in the canyon. When Caltrans was asked whether additional guardrails could be installed, the response was that many locations in the canyon only have one or two feet of shoulder, and Caltrans needs more than that to properly and safely install guardrailing."

First, how did you fare in the earthquake? Hopefully well!!

I haven't looked at the map. Could 178 through Lake Isabella be a 'back way' to get into Bakersfield? Would it make sense if he was coming from the cemetery?