The San Andreas CHP are currently investigating a motorcycle collision that occurred at an unknown time but after 5pm on Saturday, March 22 on Murphys Grade Road, approximately 2.2 miles east of Lower French Gulch Road. Earl E. Wiggins, a 61 year old male from Hathaway Pines, was last seen at his work in Angels Camp at 5pm on Saturday. He was riding a black 1997 Harley Davidson. He was reported as missing on Sunday when he failed to show up for work.

The report was filed with the Calaveras County Sheriffs Department. Wiggins was finally located by friends and family members on Tuesday after they retraced his normal routes. A preliminary investigation has revealed that Wiggins was traveling eastbound on Murphys Grade Road when he failed to negotiate a curve in the roadway and ran off the roadways edge.

Wiggins and his motorcycle were located approximately 75 feet over the roadway edge and  down an extremely steep embankment. Any witnesses to this collision are encouraged to contact the California Highway Patrol, San Andreas Office at 754-3541. This is the third fatal collision that has occurred in San Andreas’ CHP jurisdiction for 2008, and the first motorcycle fatality. In 2007, the CHP investigated 5 motorcycle fatality collisions.