Fatal Motorcycle Accident On Murphys Grade Rd

Murphys, Ca — The body of 61-year-old Earl E. Wiggins of Hathaway Pines was found at the bottom of a steep embankment off Murphys Grade Rd. this morning.

The CHP believes his death was the result of a motorcycle accident Saturday evening.

Wiggins was last seen that night at 5pm when he left work in Angels Camp on his 1997 Harley Davidson. A missing person report was then filed Sunday morning with the Calaveras County Sheriff´s Office.

“Mr. Wiggins was located by friends and family members Tuesday at 9:50am as they tried to retrace his normal routes,” says CHP Officer Jaime Castillo in San Andreas. “Preliminary investigation reveals that Mr. Wiggins was traveling eastbound on Murphys Grade Rd. when he failed to negotiate a left radius curve in the roadway.”

Both the motorcycle and Wiggins were found approximately 75 ft. down off the south roadway edge.

Any witnesses to this collision are encouraged to contact the California Highway Patrol, San Andreas Office at (209) 754-3541. This is the third traffic related fatality that has occurred in Calaveras County during 2008.

Written by BJ Hansen