Touched by An Angel

The Damsels of Dissent were on a hunt for women who had things to say about the way we Americans are conducting ourselves in this world.  Jenny and I took some time out to go to the Brownsville Blues Fest last Sunday, a mere week ago.

On the way there we passed a 40 mph speed sign and I said to Jen, "You know how 40 mph means nothing over 40 where you live?  Perhaps we ought to practice driving as the sign suggest since we don't know this area." 

She patted me on my knee and said, "Thank you, Chelle-Chelle. You are right."  She slowed down and its a good thing, too.  Up around the bend was a young man in the middle of the 2-lane road waving his arms like a windmill.  We slowed down and stopped for him. I rolled my window down and this dairy-farm wholesome looking baby-faced kid of no more than 15 looked at me, then Jen. 

He said, "Ladies (in a totally southern accent), there's a real bad accident up around the bend. Man on a motorcycle down."

I asked, "Can you tell me if there is safe passage through?"

He said, "Well, yeah, if you hang far to the left but you might drive through some wreckage.  You can make it."

With that we kept going and just as he told us, there was a terrible wreck! The injured man was just layed out and folks were running to him.  He looked me in the eyes and Jen said, "Whoa, what's that all about?"

I said, "A man in a lot of pain, Jen."  We prayed and mused for about 3/4 of a mile when up ahead was another man walking in the middle of the road, going up the mountain as we were.  He looked back at us and blew our minds.  He was the same kid that stopped us almost a mile back.  No way he could have made it that far. Then the red emergency truck came barreling down toward the accident behind us.

After the blues fest I asked an officer about that man and he told me the dude didn't make it.  I was so bummed.  I figured the man had to be only 51 ish.  I told Jen the bad news.   We checked the papers the next day-nothing.  I told her that maybe the fellow who stopped us was an angel.  Afterall, Jen remarked that he wasn't from our area and I had said he was sure a sweet kid.  We both considered that we might have had a visit with an angel who came for that man. We were there and I looked Mr. Beaver in his eyes as we inched our way through.  Here goes the Biker'sstory from the Union in Nevada City.

By Trina Kleist, trinak@theunion.com
September 7, 2005

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Friends mourned Tuesday for David Michael "Chicago" Beaver, a North San Juan man who was killed when a motorist struck Beaver's motorcycle in Yuba County.

Beaver, 51, was on his way to a blues festival Sunday in the town of Brownsville when an 18-year-old driver hit him and the car behind him, the California Highway Patrol reported. Charges might be filed against the woman whostruck Beaver.

Friends described the Chicago-area native as down-to-earth, a hard worker who laid asphalt on roadways during the summer and looked after elderly neighbors in the winter. "He rode slow, didn't drink and drive on his bike, didn't let any dirt on his bike," said Rhonda Murphy, also of North San Juan.

"He was sweet as cherry pie. He loved women and rock 'n' roll," said friend Jan, who declined to give her last name. "He was part of my mountain and we'll miss him."

At 2:10 p.m. Sunday, Amanda Driggers of Yuba City was driving a 1996 Honda Civic south on Willow Glen road 2.6 miles north of Marysville Road. "She came around a curve in the roadway, failed to stay in her lane and hit the motorcyclist head-on," CHP Sgt. John Pettigrew said.

Beaver had been driving north on his 1994 Harley-Davidson "Fatboy," followed by friend Kathleen Whittlesey in a 1986 Toyota pickup.

The Honda hit the Harley, went on to hit the Toyota, then crumpled against the embankment with the airbags deployed and several windows shattered, the CHP reported.

Whittlesey was not injured and stopped to try to help her friend.

Units arrived from the Foothill Volunteer Fire Department and Bi-County Ambulance, trying unsuccessfully to treat Beaver. He was pronounced dead at the scene, the CHP reported.

Driggers was transported to Rideout Memorial Hospital in Marysville, where she was treated for moderate injuries and released, a nursing supervisor said. An arrest order against her has been issued and charges are expected to be filed after an investigation of the accident is finished, Pettigrew said.

Beaver's friends said there would be a rock 'n' roll wake held Saturday evening at the Brass Rail on Main Street in North San Juan.

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Trina Kleist may be contacted at 477 4231 or trinak@theunion.com.