Friday, April 1, 2011

Identifying the Unknown ~ w/Update X2

I’m still packing up and moving, so pardon if this post is rather short.. It’s going to be short on a lot of information as well because that’s what I’m finding in my local newspaper’s website.  The authorities in this area are in search of information about 2 people in 2 separate cases.

This morning, I read about an accident that happened late last night where a woman on a bicycle somehow crashed into some trash bins and landed head first on the road pavement.  She was unconscious when found and was not carrying any identification.  The authorities are seeking any information about the woman.. Somewhere a family is missing someone or there are some friends who can’t contact someone..  The article on the newspaper’s website gave very little identifying information about the woman; “The woman weighs 120-130 pounds and has brown hair. She was riding a gray Talera bicycle.”  She was taken to a local hospital and is in critical condition with a brain injury.  Hopefully she’ll be able to recover enough to at least tell them who she is soon… Barring that, then I hope that someone who knows her will report her missing…

The other story popped up in a “Breaking News” banner at the top of the paper’s website a little while ago… A body has been found in the Feather River by a fisherman this morning.   The article says that it is the body of a white male, no other identifying information, so I’m guessing that this victim had some kind of identification on him.   An autopsy is being conducted today so that the cause of death can be determined.  The authorities are treating the case as a “suspicious death” at this point… With the high water we’ve been having, I have to wonder if the person in the river had been one of the homeless people who camp out in the river bottoms that got caught in the rising water…

A lot of the stories that I follow in the news are about missing people.  Children, adults.. It doesn’t matter.  The people who are found but not known are as tragic as the ones who disappear.  Someone out there knows these two people.  Someone out there somewhere is missing an acquaintance, a friend or a loved one. Hopefully as the day goes on, more information will be found out about these two.  I know one thing though, from now on when I go out bicycling, I think I’ll put my ID in my pocket…

Hopefully I can come back later today with updates… Or, if not today then tomorrow.

Update:
(Friday evening) The Appeal Democrat has updated their story about the man who's body was found in the Feather River.  He was identified today as Zeke Malone McGuire, 41, according to the Sutter County Sheriff's Department.  It also said that he had been reported as missing to the Yuba City Police Department.  The story also says now that the man's body had been found yesterday (Thursday) afternoon around 3pm instead of this morning.  The autopsy determined the cause of death as drowning and there were no signs of foul play.  So, I suppose they now have to determine if the man's death was accidental or suicide.  So sad for the man's family and friends. 

There are no additional updates on the injured unidentified woman yet.  I'll update the blog if the newspaper updates again tonight.

2nd Update:
(Saturday morning)  The Appeal Democrat revised the story about the injured woman this morning.  They have a name and age for her now, but the article still mostly reads the same as it did yesterday.  The California Highway Patrol says that she is Melissa Joyce Procopio, 44 of Olivehurst.  No news yet about why she crashed her bicycle into the trash bins, nor any update on her condition. 

Sources:
CHP seeks help in identifying woman
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/highway-105333-woman-identifying.html
Body found in Feather River  /  UPDATE: Feather River drowning victim identified
http://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/feather-105334-body-river.html