Documentary Film: Resting Places

Documentary Film by J. Michael Kipikash, Melissa Villanueva
Youtube.com: https://youtu.be/Kmy8zfkdHAY
imdb.com: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0981340/

Resting Places (2007)

Documentary about the global phenomenon of roadside memorials, their explosive worldwide growth, and the legal controversy that now surrounds the tradition.

Crosses, Flowers, and Asphalt: Roadside Memorials in the US South - Tom Zarrilli

Crosses, Flowers, and Asphalt: Roadside Memorials in the US South 
by Tom Zarrilli

ROADSIDE MEMORIALS IN THE US SOUTH

PHOTO ESSAY: PUBLISHED AUGUST 19, 2009

from SOUTHERN SPACES
A JOURNAL ABOUT REAL AND IMAGINED SPACES AND PLACES OF THE US SOUTH AND THEIR GLOBAL CONNECTIONS

http://southernspaces.org

Doug Flynn - Ghost Bike - Somerton, AZ - September 24, 2009

Doug Flynn
Ghost Bike - Somerton, AZ - September 24, 2009

Photographed by Brad Pease on November 11, 2015.

A head on collision resulted in the death of a bicyclist. Doug Flynn was the president of a local bicycling club on a local ride with the group. Another member was injured, but Doug Flynn was killed on the spot.

No criminal charges were placed against the driver, which tried to pass a farm vehicle with the sun in her eyes. 

News Article Links:

• http://azbikelaw.org/founder-of-yuma-bike-club-killed-in-head-on-collision/
• http://www.mlr.biz/azroadcyclist/BackIssues/Sept_30_2009.html

More photos on Flickr.com by Brad Pease
https://www.flickr.com/photos/takkotakko/22537351697/

Update: Rodriguez couple - Yuma, AZ - rt. 95/Avenue 7E

Update: Rodriguez couple - Yuma, AZ - rt. 95/Avenue 7E

Roberto and Sylvia Rodriguez

http://takko-descansos.blogspot.com/2015/07/rodriguez-couple-on-rt-95-yuma-az-may.html

Photo by Brad Pease

This earlier photo (left) was taken in May, 2014. This Descanso has been updated with a more permanent crosses.

November 24, 2015: 

Jury returns guilty verdicts in fatal collision

http://www.yumasun.com/news/jury-returns-guilty-verdicts-in-fatal-collision/article_67ae2d70-923c-11e5-bc63-c3a957b7a2c8.html

Recent Trial - Man accused of killing San Luis couple in crash in court
http://www.kyma.com/man-accused-of-killing-san-luis-couple-in-crash-in-court/

Photo by Brad Pease

Taken on November 11, 2015, these new photos show the updated Descansos for Sylvia and Robert. Items and plaques help mark this space at a very busy intersection, with a backdrop of a convenience store.

Photo by Brad Pease

 

Photo by Brad Pease

Photo by Brad Pease

Photo by Brad Pease

No Descansos for long stretch in SE Arizona, rt. 90

No Descansos On Back Road Stretch

I was surprised to see no descansos on a lonely stretch starting north of Bisbeee, AZ headed west on Rt. 90 to Nogales. 

Headed west  on rt. 90 through Sierra Vista, Huachuca City, and then onto rt. 82 through Patagonia, and then to Nogales, AZ.



I was returning to Yuma, AZ after a trip to Douglas, AZ, taking different back roads. Loved the drive and the view, though added many hours to my trip, with another later back road.

Later, heading southwest of Tucson on Rt. 86, there are a number of descansos, some that i have already documented. I do need to make some dedicated time to return to photograph and record more along that path. i wasn't able to stop to shoot any.

There are some small towns like Ajo, that would be an interesting place to stop for the night.

These are photos shout a few years back in 2006 on the same route. This descanso did have some additions of wrapping paper around the guard rail. I figure it had more personal notes written on it.

https://flic.kr/p/55ZaBU

https://flic.kr/p/55Z9Lb

https://flic.kr/p/55Z9wJ

Unnamed: Spring Valley, AZ Southest of Prescott, AZ

Unnamed Descanso 

Photos by Brad Pease

 This descanso rests a few miles west of I-17 on Rt. 69 in Spring Valley.
Not far from Prescott, Arizona.

There are no details or names attached.








location:
https://www.flickr.com/map/?fLat=34.343666&fLon=-112.139501&zl=13&everyone_nearby=1

Photo by Brad Pease

LiL RED - Sandra Maydole, Arizona Rt-8/Rt-60 East of Quartzite, AZ

LiL RED

LiL RED is painted in red and the other letters are wooden. This descanso was a bit hard to see and rested uphill a little from the road and guardrail.

The painted wood shows some of the wear of time with wood grain through the white paint. Around the memorial are rocky earth, desert scrub, and ocotillos.

The dates shown are December 1963 - May 2001.
I had trouble finding much online, but assuming from an online source, this tragedy happened on May 23, 2001.
http://obits.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/obit.cgi?Surname=+sandra+k&type=Keyword&Start=13750

Location:
https://www.flickr.com/map/?fLat=33.659833&fLon=-114.013834&zl=13&everyone_nearby=1

Kumeyaay Highway, Yellow Flowers, Worn Placard

Kumeyaay Highway

South side of Rt. 8 Rt. 8 between Yuma, Arizona and El Centro, CAPhotos by Brad Pease

No name on this Descanso.
It was a hot day in the start of the summer.
Exposure to the weather and hot sun wore away at the name placard.

The rebuilt section of barbed wire looks like this is where the vehicle broke through

More photos of this Descanso:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/12219598@N08/14083572269

Map location and other photos in the area
https://www.flickr.com/map/?fLat=32.757833&fLon=-114.823167&zl=13&everyone_nearby=1

Derek Brooks - West of Tucson, Arizona

Derek Brooks, 27 years old

From Wilcox, Arizona
b. December 9, 1980
d. January 26, 2008

The decorations and metal stand out against a dramatic sky.

Photos taken on February 19, 2006

Newspaper articles:
http://www.svherald.com/content/2009/09/19/willcox-man-dies-wreck-highway-186
http://tucson.com/news/local/crime/willcox-man-dies-when-his-pickup-rolls-over/article_7d2c0447-8415-5ebd-b7fd-2f8e726deca1.html

http://death-records.mooseroots.com/l/178611003/Derek-Michael-Brooks


Photos by Brad Pease

Kyle Drake - Farmington, New Mexico

Kyle Drake

North of Farmington, New Mexico
b. October 19, 1983    d. October 19, 2007


Reading news/opinion articles, I assume Kyle was drinking alcohol and tried escaping police. Eventually, ended up in this remote area and failed to negotiate a curve.

Note the dates of birth and accident.

More photos by Brad Pease at Flickr.com
https://www.flickr.com/photos/12219598@N08/3680942614


Approximate Location on Google Maps
https://www.google.com/maps/place/36%C2%B046'25.7%22N+108%C2%B012'35.9%22W/@36.7585167,-108.2156193,13.05z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0

Obituary
http://www.daily-times.com/ci_7253999

Newspaper
http://www.daily-times.com/farmington-letters_to_the_editor/ci_7273845

State of New Mexico Press Release
http://www.dps.state.nm.us/newsReleases/DPS/2007/DPSnewsRelease_10.19.07_Fatal_Crash_on_Glade_Road_north_of_Farmington.pdf

This is a COMMENT section reference to a high speed chase
http://www.topix.com/forum/city/farmington-nm/T9FUL7PEPSJVJE96T/p4

Actually wrote:

<quoted text>
Just because a family loses a son does not mean that the truth of the situation can't be told. Kyle was drunk & decided to run from the police. Pursuit was discontinued & yet he continued to drive like an idiot & eventually killed himself by his poor driving due to being drunk & yet the police are the problem? Please. The police are no more responsible for the actions of stupid people than are you or I. I guess the fool from WI who thinks that all high speed pursuits are wrong would have a different tune to sing if someone murdered one of his family members & took off running, never to be found?
God bless Officer Stock, thank goodness he's going to be OK.

Unfortunately, people make mistakes. Yes, its true. Some people are lucky ebough to get away with it with their lives. I think the topic is off regarding high speed police chases. Why are we blaming the police again?? The situatin is that this lady needs some help.(not trying to be rude, but its obvious). A police officer gets hurt trying to do his job. Now where does Kyle Drake come into this? Thats in the past. He paid for his mistake. Let it be. RIP Kyle. Hopefully, people will have the common sense needed to be better citizens and to keep our community safe.

Tara Accomazzo - West of Tucson, Arizona

Tara Accomazzo - South of Gila Bend, Arizona

Rt. 85

born: April 27, 1976
died: May 8, 1994 

Newspaper Photo of Tara, and Night Photos of Descanso
by DefiantMenace
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/93846254

Location on Goggle Maps
https://www.google.com/maps/place/32%C2%B055'41.9%22N+112%C2%B044'03.2%22W/@32.9358363,-112.7211567,14.85z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0?hl=en

Harpo on SmugMug.com
http://harpo.smugmug.com/Events-Human/Descansos-Roadside-memorials/10013910_PdC97m/685262879_jFFLdTR#!i=685262879&k=jFFLdTR

East of Tucson, Arizona - Triple Crosses

East of Tucson, Arizona 
Triple Crosses
Rt. 85 or 86

Photo taken November 24, 2006

More images of this Descanso on Flickr.com
https://www.flickr.com/photos/takkotakko/

Approximate Location
https://www.google.com/maps/

West of Tucson, Arizona

West of Tucson, Arizona
Rt. 85 or 86
Photo taken: November 24, 2006

More images of this Descasnso on Flickr.com
https://www.flickr.com/photos/takkotakko/2681024659/in/album-72157614371896891/


Approximate location on Google Maps
https://www.google.com/maps/

 

Rodriguez Couple on Rt. 95, Yuma, AZ May 25, 2014

61-year-old Roberto Rodriguez and 56-year-old Sylvia Rodriguez from San Luis, Arizona
Site: Yuma, AZ, USA, Rt. 95 at 7E at the intersection.

I found myself very touched and angry by this accident caused by Markley Allen Foster, possible under the influence of drugs. An older couple's lives were cut short, T-boned at the intersection. A descanso was promptly created. A new permanent memorial has been installed with a pair of crosses. I will photograph the newer memorial some time soon.

I'm sorry to dwell on the criminal act. He is being held on $1 million dollars bail. He was being charged with Murder 2nd Degree, and other charges. I tried to research the final outcome of the trial, but I am not able to get any facts.

Newspaper articles:
http://www.yumasun.com/news/man-charged-with-murder-in-car-crash-rejects-plea-offer/article_1c469a46-7048-11e4-8493-bf30981fad8e.html
"Foster, who police allege was driving at excessive speeds while under the influence of unspecified drugs when the collision occurred..." Nov. 19, 2014
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/may/27/driver-being-investigated-in-fatal-yuma-accident/

More photos at Flickr.com https://www.flickr.com/photos/takkotakko/14209338167/in/album-72157614371896891/

Map:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/32%C2%B041'57.6%22N+114%C2%B030'45.6%22W/@32.6994865,-114.5101886,16z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0?hl=en

driver of other vehicle: Markley Allen Foster 
Plea agreements rejected
Trial was set for December 17, 2014
Competency Hearing
Trial and Outcome: ?