By Roger the Scanner Guy
Columbia City, Indiana, 1976. I was hitching out of Fort Wayne one winter night heading home for a weekend visit to Hammond, it was cold as Hell around 5 below zero with a wind chill pushing 20. There was snow drifting across the ground roads slick covered in ice. Instead of hitching on the side of the road in this weather I went into the local truck stop, from there I’d ask Truckers for rides as they headed out. Fort Myers Truck Stop was right there on Route 30 it had it all as many Truck Stops do, a place to eat, park your Truck and rest, Shower clean up, a store, some even had barber shops.
I walked in and headed to the counter ordering a hot cup of black coffee there was a swarm of waitresses in there one filled the cup the others kept it full. Years later in a different time and place Santa Barbara one of those waitresses would be my therapist. I got a couple cups in me and was headed for a third when I overheard a Trucker say he had to be in South Holland, Ill in the Morning just a couple hundred miles up the road near Chicago but in this weather it might take all night. As the Trucker got up to leave I hit him up for a ride. He put his hand out names Bill, I’m Roger we shook. He started up the truck let it get warm as I had climbed into the cab it was a Kenworth about a 73 or so flat face no long nose on her. I liked riding in these. Bill went out checked the tires then the load after a few moments off we went North toward Chicago.
We were not a few miles out of town the coffee was getting to me and I had to go, I tried to ignore it but it would not be ignored I had to say something or go right there so I did. Bill said one time he’d stop he pulled over just outside Columbia City, Indiana about 18 miles into the ride and said “This is the best I can do.” I got out of the Truck walked through the snow behind some evergreen trees about 20 feet away and did my thing, it was dark no lights around just the snow and the trees as my eyes adjusted to the dark I noticed something lying in the snow it looked like a log but it should have been under the snow. I was curious but wished later I had not been. I pulled out my lighter and a smoke lit the cigarette bent down and looked at what I thought was a log, It was wrapped in plastic and looked like a slaughtered animal of some sort possibly a pig. Bill yelled “Come on we gotta get a move on!” I answered back “Be right there found something.” Whatever it was cut in half and bloody under all the plastic I held my lighter and moved the length of the animal until I came to a pair of human bare feet it was a human body. I did not stick around after that it scared the heck out of me discovering a body like that. I was a kid then things would be different now I climbed back up into the truck and did not say a word. Bill asked me what I found back there but I said nothing for a long time, I guess I was in shock. A few miles down the road I told him what I found and he says to me “Don’t tell no one a Trucker probably did it.” Scaring the crap out of me more cause here I was sitting next to a Trucker in the middle of the night on Route 30. We got to South Holland around 6am Bill bought me a huge breakfast we parted ways. I hitched back to Hammond. Scared I did not report what I found to the police for 2 months by then the body was gone. Later on it was found in a creek nearby, It was a young runaway girl. I never heard if anyone was caught but years later Unsolved Mysteries did a story on a serial killer that dumped his victims wrapped in plastic or sleeping bags on the side of the road in Ohio, and Indiana it was thought he was a Trucker….HERE are YOUR SCANNER REPORTS…
Scanner Reports Wednesday:
- Med Call PATH 816 Cacique cancelled.
- 20001 Felony hit and run Highway 101 Southbound Los Carneros, Patterson Vehicle with major front end damage drove away 2 Vehicle crash.
- Fire Alarms, no Fire 400 Block of East Patterson.
- Probation check 500 Block of West Los Olivos.
- Probation check 2400 Block of DLV.
- Premises check McKinley School.
- Suicidal male in the 1100 Block of State street possibly having anxiety.
- Premises check Bishop Diego HS.
- Suspicious circumstances female found with blood on her Bath and Montecito 3 feet from the rail road tracks I heard 245pc.
- Panhandler threatens to shoot a customer near Arco in the 600 Block of West Carrillo possibly has a weapon in hand unknown if it’s a gun someone threatens to shoot me better have a gun cause they are going to need it.
- Traffic stop on a Ford 1300 Block of Santa Barbara street.
- Vehicle accident Highway 154 at Painted Cave.
- Premises check Ortega Park.
- 459 Audible, Did not hear if there was a crime 700 Block of Anacapa.
- Domestic Violence 500 Block of West Alamar only sissies beat women.
- Code 40 Drunk Trying to get into his mothers house possibly in the 500 Block of Bath street
- Code 40 Drunk harassing passer bys outside Spudnuts 222 West Carrillo.
- Indecent Exposure 314pc Male in his 50’s 3 West Carrillo WMA They did not say how he was being indecent.
- 415pc 594pc Vandalism to a window McKenzie Market 3102 State street subject broke a window with a chain.
Scanner Reports, Thursday:
- Fire Alarms the Canary Hotel 31 West Carrillo street, no fire.
- Vehicle jack knife Westbound lanes highway 154 near Lake Cachuma lane blocked near a curve.
- Med call 3800 Block of State street.
- Hotel California 36 State street Premises check.
- Hit and Run no injuries Harris Grade 3600 Block.
- 602pc Trespasser in the 211 Block of West Guiterrez possibly sitting in number 2.
- Check the Welfare of a female who was in a bank yesterday with bruising on her PD checked the address there was no answer I let out the 100 Block they never said What Bank I hope who ever she is she is OK.
- Attempt 459 Burglary to a vehicle 2860 Grand at Fess Parkers Inn.
- Vehicle vs Pedestrian Ocean at R street.
- Creep Alert…At the Bus Stop every Morning Hope at State street male named Raymond HMA 5’9 He asked a female for her phone number thinking she was a High School Girl he likes High School Girls according to the reporting party not a High School Girl he makes it a point to be there every morning.
- Smoke investigation outside 3900 Block of State street, nothing found.
- Code 40 Drunk in the Walkway at McKinley School.
- 415pc Transient in a vacant residence in the 300 Block of West Mission street Reporting Party an employee of the Management Company.
- 415 Transient at the 7-11 at State and Mission street 2 Males in the bushes “Cat calling” women as they walk by Loma Alta at Shoreline.
- Vegetation Fire highway 101 Southbound Mission street offramp Unable to Locate a Problem.
- Premises check Vera Cruz Park.
- Littering WFA in her 50’s wearing a jean jacket, riding a tricycle 100 Block of East Anapamu.
- Road Rage 5 Points 3900 Block of State street Heading East on State street following reporting party swerving toward her vehicle in a dark grey BMW after a bit reporting party was following him got his plate and turned it in.
- 415 Domestic in a Mercedes Coupe near Canon Drive and Los Pinos. Smoke check outside Black at Tanglewood in Santa Maria.
Will that is enough out of me for now I have been thinking of seeing if I could donate my hair for someone who needs it does anyone know how I’d go about that?…. With that Have a nice weekend Peter, Molly, Belinda, Midnight, Merlin, Angel Baby, Pooh Bear, Shadow, FREDDIE!, Maxwell, Lola, PoPo, Tom Cat, Tomicina, Clancy, Tiger,, Tiny, Andy, Fish Heads One, and Two, Poncho, Denny, Jerry, Walter, Fred, Jonathan, C.J., Brad, Billy, Carl, Stan, Kent, ELMO, Patrick, Christy, Diana, Jim, Ross, Rambo, Sherry, Eddie, Bambi, Lafayette, Ted, Mark, Willie, Pat, Mavis, Ricky, Bengie, Mrs. MacArthur, Bommy, Poppy, June, Muskie, David Cox, Po, Marty, Cop John, Magruder, Don, Edwin, Cory, Crazy Ed, Isabelle, Jerry, Debbie, Ken, LUCY! STOBE THE HOBO, KFC, John Hancock, Mickey Mantle, Ernie Banks, John Havlick, Ron Santo, Little Mac, Tom Petty, and Chris Willing we will pee you on MONday-MONday. Later, Roger