Death Investigation Ongoing After Body Found In Burned Vehicle

Big Bear, Ca, April 25, 2011, 4:00pm - In the early morning hours of April 25, at approximately 2:15 a.m., deputies from the Big Bear Sheriff’s Station along with Fawnskin Engine 92 County Fire responded to a report of a vehicle fire on Highway 18 near Lakeview Point. The fire was extinguished and a badly burned body was located inside the vehicle. The age, race and gender of the body could not be determined, and the vehicle was also badly burned, therefore a description was not available. Big Bear deputies have requested the assistance of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Homicide and Arson/Bomb Details to assist with the investigation.  The investigation is continuing and anyone with information is urged to contact Detective David Johnson or Sgt. Frank Montanez at Sheriff’s Homicide Detail at 909 387-3589.  Callers wishing to remain anonymous may contact the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78 CRIME (27463) or may leave information on the We-Tip Website www.wetip.com.

Despite Influx of Crowds for Fourth of July, Sheriff’s Captain Reports, “We Had Relatively Few Incidents”

Big Bear Valley, CA — This year’s Fourth of July weekend in the Big Bear Valley was marred by the July 5 drowning of an 18-year-old from Yucca Valley, though, given the influx of crowds here for the holiday, local law enforcement and fire agencies report that it was a relatively calm weekend. In addition to an extra 20 deputies on patrol, the Big Bear Sheriff’s Station’s law enforcement efforts included boat patrol, bike patrol, reserves on duty, and the volunteers of the Citizens on Patrol and Sheriff’s Explorers. Sheriff’s Captain Greg Garland’s crew made 11 DUI arrests and two for boating under the influence; there was also one assault with intent to rape and one rape over the weekend, though officials tell KBHR that both of these incidents were between acquaintances, neither of whom are local. Within the Big Bear Valley, there were also several traffic-related incidents, and a few injuries and searches for lost tourists on the San Bernardino National Forest. Other incidents included petty thefts, given belongings left behind on the lakeshore or in vehicles but, all told, Captain Garland tells KBHR, “While we had a large number of people in town and traffic was heavier, we had relatively few incidents over the weekend.”
Local fire agencies attended to at least 27 medical aid calls, both on land and water, and extinguished some small open fires that had been reported by locals. For this, Big Bear City Fire Chief Jeff Willis expresses a thank you to the Big Bear community, for helping the fire departments in being their eyes and ears for activities that are known to be illegal.
The California Highway Patrol officers of the Arrowhead division report a total collision count of seven for the entire mountain; of these, one was a solo DUI collision, another was a collision between an intoxicated bicyclist and some pedestrians. Two CHP Officers, Rodman and Jedlick, went above and beyond the call of duty late Saturday night, July 3, with Big Bear Lake Fire Chief Rod Ballard noting, “What they did was brave.” The two responded to a call near Lakeview Point on the Arctic Circle portion of Highway 18 after 11pm; a woman in her mid-40s had gotten out of a vehicle to relieve herself roadside, and ended up tumbling about 100 feet down the mountainside. The two CHP officers, later joined by fire departments from Arrowbear, Green Valley Lake and Running Springs, made their way down the rocky drop to retrieve the woman, who sustained multiple injuries, in what would be a roughly two-hour rescue operation.
The Big Bear Municipal Water District reports heavy activity, post-fireworks, along the North Shore ramps, though boating activity on the Fourth of July did not break the record set on Friday the Fourth, 2008, when a record 1,000 boats were estimated to be on Big Bear Lake in the 3 o’clock hour.

CalTrans Implements Maintenance Projects at Base of Mountain, and in Boulder Bay and Fawnskin Areas

Big Bear Valley, CA — In addition to the ongoing construction of the Big Bear bridge, scheduled for completion next year, there are a few CalTrans maintenance projects slated for this week. Work resumes in the Highland area this week, which will affect those traveling on the 210 freeway and Highway 330 at the base of the mountain. From 8am to 4pm through Friday, July 9, the connectors from the 330 to the 210, both eastbound and westbound, will be closed, though detours will be available, with signage posted. On Wednesday and Thursday of this week, the connector from Highway 330 to the southbound portion of Highway 18 at Running Springs will be closed for excavation work; this closure will be from 8am to 5pm and, again, for just two days. Closer to home, there will be three different pavement maintenance projects, each of them scheduled to take one day, from 8am to 3pm. On Wednesday, July 7, motorists can expect flagging from Talbot in the Boulder Bay area west to the Big Bear dam. Pavement projects on Thursday and Friday are in the Fawnskin area, so expect flagging on the North Shore at Bruin Trail on July 8 and on the North Shore at Cherokee Street on July 9. There may also be minimal delays for those taking Highway 18 east toward the Lucerne Valley; from 8am to 5pm this week, guardrail installation is taking place between Baldwin Lake Road and Cactus Road. For updated road information, please see the KBHR Big Bear Road Conditions page.

Overnight, Midweek Road Closures on Arctic Circle Portion of Highway 18; CalTrans Does Clean-up, Post-Winter Repairs

As of last night (June 20), CalTrans has implemented a maintenance project on the Arctic Circle portion of Highway 18, from the Big Bear dam west to Lakeview Point. This road work has resulted in overnight closures on Highway 18; closures will be on Sundays through Thursdays, from 10pm to 4am, extending through July 1st. Highway 18 will remain open round the clock on Fridays and Saturdays, though there is the possibility of weekend lane closures during the roughly two-week project. Some of the maintenance work being done includes the repair of guardrails damaged during the winter season, the widening of shoulders, and the cleanup of turnouts along the Arctic Circle.
A couple other CalTrans projects are taking place at the base of the mountain, so just FYI: the northbound Highland Avenue off-ramp at the base of Highway 330 will be closed from 8am to 4pm this week. Also, for those commuting on Highway 38, know that there may be some delays in the Mentone area, as only one lane will be open, from 8am to 4:30pm, to accommodate a sidewalk project expected to take four weeks to complete (as of Wednesday, June 23).
For road updates, closures and construction projects, you can visit the KBHR Big Bear Road Conditions page.
Update: As of Thursday, CalTrans is implementing another road project at the base of the mountain, and this will impact travelers coming down the mountain on Highway 330. On Thursday night, June 24 and Friday night, June 25, there will be overnight closures on the Highway 330 connectors to the 210 Freeway. Detours will be in place to access the 210 during work hours, which will be from 8pm to 5am.
Update: As of July 2, all of these mountain-area projects (save for the ongoing Big Bear bridge replacement project) are complete. CalTrans crews may revisit the Arctic Circle for additional maintenance on a yet-to-be scheduled date later this summer.

CalTrans to Suspend Flagging, Delays on Highway 18 to Accommodate May 21 Activity for Amgen Tour

Big Bear Lake, CA — Those picking up their use of Highway 18 the “front way,” now that Highway 330 has been re-opened, are likely mindful of the weekday flagging taking place at the dam, to accommodate the construction of the new Big Bear bridge, scheduled for completion in 2011. Over the last year, CalTrans-hired contractor Flatiron Construction Inc. has conducted intermittent flagging between 7am and 5pm. However, in consideration of anticipated traffic on Friday, May 21 for the Amgen Tour of California cycling race, flagging will be suspended on this day. Flatiron employees will continue to work off the roadway, however, so motorists are reminded to be mindful of these individuals and proceed with care and caution. The new Big Bear bridge project for Highway 18 will include three 12-foot travel lanes, 10-foot shoulders, and an ADA-compliant sidewalk on the lake side of the bridge. The long-awaited project, at a cost of roughly $39 million, will also include a traffic signal at the intersection of Highway 18 and Highway 38, which heads east along the North Shore through the Fawnskin area.
(For road specifics on May 21, visit KBHR’s Spectators’ Guide to Enjoying the Amgen Tour of California in Big Bear Lake.)

City of Big Bear Lake Is a Go for May 21st Amgen Tour, Yet Pasadena Is Out for Stage 6 Start

Big Bear Lake, CA – The Amgen Tour of California will be cycling into Big Bear on Friday, May 21st and event permit approval was granted for such during yesterday’s meeting of the Planning Commission of Big Bear Lake. Though there were some conditions set forth by the Big Bear Lake Fire Protection District, which the Planning Commission incorporated, permits were approved for both some street closures on Friday afternoon, May 21 as well as for the Tour de Big Bear cycling activities on Saturday, May 22, which will not result in disruptions to local traffic. Though the specific timing of the street closures will be contingent on the professional cyclists, who will approach Big Bear from Highway 18 to the west and then take Highway 38 through Fawnskin, it is estimated that local road closures will take place in the 3 o’clock hour and these rolling closures will last about one hour; within the City of Big Bear Lake, the race route will include the portion of Big Bear Boulevard, from Stanfield Cutoff to Sandalwood Drive, then the full length of Sandalwood Drive (which runs behind the Interlaken Center), a portion of Fox Farm Road from Sandalwood to Garstin, then Garstin from Fox Farm Storage to Summit Boulevard, and finishing with the full length of Summit Boulevard, for the finish at Snow Summit Resort.
In just-announced news from the Amgen Tour of California, there will be some change in the race route, billed as the Big Bear Climb, for the stage 6 finish in Big Bear, 135 miles from the day’s start in Pasadena. Given severe winter storm-prompted road damage on the Angeles Crest Highway, CalTrans says that there are potential safety hazards and the road, also known as Highway 2, will be unable to accommodate the race. In an announcement from Andrew Messick, president of race organizer AEG Sports, a new city will be selected for the start of stage 6. “As long-term partners with Pasadena,” he says, “we appreciate how graciously they have handled this difficult situation. We look forward to returning to Pasadena soon.” So, though a new start will have to be determined for the race, which begins in less than six weeks, Big Bear will serve as the mountaintop finish in this internationally recognized competition featuring the top professional cyclists in the world, including Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer.

Happy Monday: Snow, High Winds, and Chain Requirements for Motorists

Big Bear Valley, CA — The snow has been coming down since about the 5am hour this morning, prompting chain controls on some roads here in the Big Bear Valley. At present [at 8am April 5], R2 chain requirements are in place for the front grade of Highway 18, from Pine Knot Avenue in the Village west to the Arrowhead area; chains are also required on two-wheel drive vehicles along the North Shore, from Mt. Doble west to the Big Bear dam.  R2 means that you must have chains on the drive wheels of your vehicle, unless in a four-wheel drive with snow tires on all four wheels and carrying chains. Chain controls have not been implemented on Highway 18 the back way to Lucerne Valley, or on Highway 38, per the latest from CalTrans. Also, a reminder to travelers, that Highway 330 does remain closed. For updated road conditions, visit the KBHR Big Bear Road Conditions page.
This morning’s dusting of snow, coupled with a couple inches received last week, brings this season’s snow totals to about 116 inches here in the Big Bear Valley. Today’s weather brings with it a High Wind Warning from the National Weather Service, which remains in effect until 10pm tonight. We can expect west winds of 20 to 40 miles per hour, with peak gusts in excess of 60 miles per hour also possible. These high winds may make driving difficult, so motorists, especially those in high-profile vehicles, are reminded to proceed with caution and watch for downed power lines and tree limbs.

Emergency Crews Recover Vehicle Over Side of Highway 18′s Arctic Circle; Driver Survives With Only Minor Injuries

While traveling on the Arctic Circle portion of Highway 18 yesterday, March 29, at about 2:45pm, a single vehicle went over the side of the mountain just east of Lakeview Point, dropping somewhere between 700 and 1000’ down. The single occupant of the vehicle, 18-year-old Larry Mullins of Running Springs, was driving toward Big Bear when his 2005 Jeep Liberty went off the road–however he survived the incident with only minor injuries, including a broken collar bone, and climbed back up to Highway 18. Given the severity of the drop, emergency crews held vehicle recovery until this morning, and this is currently underway [as of 11am], with San Bernardino County Fire and California Highway personnel on scene, as well as Mr. Mullin. The accident is under investigation by the CHP. Motorists on Highway 18 can expect delays as only one lane of traffic is available at this time and those on Arctic Circle should also be mindful of rocks that have fallen into the roadway. (Those taking Highway 38 should also watch for rocks in the roadway.)

CalTrans Provides Update on Highway 330 Closure; Roadway Closed Since March 16 for Emergency Project

Big Bear Lake, CA — It was during a routine “storm patrol” that a CalTrans employee discovered the damage to the Highway 330 culvert (from the 1940s) and erosion to the roadway, prompting the emergency repair project that got underway on Tuesday, March 16. In a presentation before the City Council of Big Bear Lake on Monday, CalTrans liaison Dennis Green assured, “We are going to do everything we can to accelerate opening of this road–because we know you have a big bike event.” However, before Highway 330 can be reopened to motorists, the contractor on the project is awaiting the delivery of a specially made replacement pipe, which will be 11’ in diameter and 266’ long; the galvanized pipe is coming from Kentucky and should be here in two weeks.
When the emergency project was implemented, on a day’s notice, CalTrans expected that the job would take a few months, resulting in the full closure of Highway 330 until mid-June. However, as Green noted on March 22, “We understand how crucial this road is to the mountain communities.” With that, road prep is being done so that the pipe can be installed, up to 80’ below the roadway, upon arrival, and then the road will need to be reconstructed. As Highway 330 cuts through San Bernardino National Forest, Green added that there are environmental challenges on the project and, he said, “So we’re working from the roadway to minimize the footprint on the forest.”
City Councilmember Rick Herrick, who also serves as the local chair for the Amgen Tour of California, which comes to Big Bear on May 21, pointed out that the tourism generated by the cycling race will be critical to Southern California, the County of San Bernardino, and the Big Bear Valley. Though the race route to the mountain does not include Highway 330, Herrick added, “This road is crucial to move 100,000 visitors up and down the mountain in the space of a few days. And our businesses on the west side of town suffer terribly when that road is closed.” Green says that CalTrans has placed 11 portable message signs at the base of the mountain and along mountain routes, and Big Bear Mountain Resorts staff were checking on their positioning; and, as City Manager Jeff Mathieu pointed out, there are still three routes open to access Big Bear. These routes are Highway 18 from San Bernardino, Highway 18 from Lucerne Valley, and Highway 38 from Mentone.
As progress continues on the Highway 330 pipe and road replacement project, CalTrans anticipates that there may be some amendments to the full road closure. By April’s end, the closure will be reassessed and there is the possibility of flagging and perhaps a downhill-in-the-morning/uphill-in-the-evening accommodation for mountain commuters. In the meantime, Green assured, “The goal is to open this road as quickly as it is safe to do so.”

Weekend Snowfall Results in Monday Morning Commute Chain Controls on Highway 18

Big Bear Valley, CA — An inch or so of snow over the weekend brings our seasonal total to about 112 inches of snow for the winter season, since we received our first snowfall on Friday, November 13. As of this morning [Monday, March 8 at 8am], CalTrans only has chain controls in place on Highway 18, west of the dam, so those headed down the mountain the front way will need chains if in a two-wheel drive vehicle; four-wheel drives with snow tires on all four wheels are required to carry chains. This R2 chain requirement applies only to Highway 18, from the Big Bear Dam, through the Arctic Circle and Snow Valley, and down to Running Springs. There are no chain requirements for any other roads in our area and, still, Snow Conditions have not been reinstated so parking on city streets is allowed. For updates on road conditions, visit the KBHR Big Bear Road Conditions page.

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