The following is a press release issued by the Mendocino County District Attorney:
For quite some time, a motor home has sat abandoned just off Highway 101 partially hidden behind a small hill south of Comminsky Station Road in southern Mendocino County.
While Caltrans at some point placed barriers to block the dirt access road where the RV was parked and was further falling into disrepair, nothing was apparently undertaken to have the vehicle removed in at least two years, if not longer.
While driving north on Highway 101 last month, District Attorney David Eyster noticed the collapsing roof of the RV and made inquiry as to why the vehicle was parked on the blocked off road above the busy north-south highway.
It was the DA’s belief that the vehicle was not only both a public nuisance, but also a potential environmental hazard to the Russian River flowing just 300 feet downhill from the location.
After calls were made and plans formulated, Mendocino County’s Building and Planning Department and Caltrans agreed to cooperate with the DA to resolve the problem. The road barriers were temporarily moved Thursday and the RV – full of trash – was pulled from the location. Once the trash was removed from the vehicle and hauled away by Caltrans, the RV was likewise towed away.
Backing his environmental concerns with dollars, Eyster paid for the towing bill with environmental funds obtained by the District Attorney’s Office from environmental settlements and fines that the DA seeks in court and holds on account.
An investigation continues into who abandoned the vehicle at that location and why. California law holds owners of abandoned vehicles financially responsible for costs of removal.
