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A road sign rises from the median between the converging lanes ominously proclaiming it as James Dean Memorial Junction. His mechanic Rolf Wutherich, who was in the passenger seat, was flung from the car and sustained serious injured. It was later determined that Donald Turnupseed was at fault, as reported by the Los Angeles Times, but no one was held responsible for the collision. Later, the intersection was realigned to make the Highway 46 straight through and at present Highway 41 has a left turn lane directly facing the oncoming Hwy 46 traffic. Turnupseeds sister also had a difficult time coping with the accident and committed suicide. James Deans death cemented his reputation as a rebel and an icon of the 1950s. There was an error deleting this problem. Hickman assisted in extricating Dean from the wreckage. Deans performance as Jim Stark, the confused teenager with doting but clueless parents, came to epitomize brooding adolescent behavior. It appears Bruce brown who I was told was Kurt cobains blood father and Bruce told me kurt was my paternal brother, may have traveled this same highway 46. "You've got to stop," James Dean told Weuterich when he saw Ford's maneuver. She suffered severe head trauma. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Cars and trucks speed by in both directions and anything short of a cautious drive by is not recommended. This impact and the accompanying crash resulted in Dean suffering a broken neck . Donald G. Turnupseed was the driver of the car that collided with Dean's, not Harold Turnupseed. Regardless, the story of the curse has certainly failed to diminish the James Dean legend. Police pulled over the convoy and issued a pair of speeding tickets just outside Bakersfield. Live fast, die young and leave a good looking corpse. James Dean was the epitome of that 1949 quote penned by pioneering Chicago African American author Willard Motley. However, as the wrecked chassis had no remaining integral strength, a rebuild proved to be a Herculean task, even for a wizard like Barris. For memorials with more than one photo, additional photos will appear here or on the photos tab. Barris offered $1,000,000 to anyone who could produce the remains of the deathcar, but no one ever came forward to claim the prize. Dean was pronounced dead on arrival at 6:20 p.m. by the attending emergency room physician, Dr. Robert Bossert. But James Dean, America's rebel without a cause, would suffer fatal injuries, including a near decapitation. Turnupseeds death was overshadowed by Deans. If you need proof of that assessment, go and visit his grave in Fairmount, Indiana. Deans Porsche itself carried on. As this year's 40th anniversary of the crash approached, requests forinterviews continued. Because it was twilight and the color of James's car blended in with the sky Donald couldn't see him. The impact sent Turnupseed's heavy Ford sliding 39 feet down the highway, but the Spyder, a much lighter car, was propelled into the air. Hunter at Mettler Station on Wheeler Ridge, just south of Bakersfield, for driving 65 mph in a 55 mph zone. Another 38 were killed from 2000 to 2010. Requests for interviews about the Sept. 30, 1955, crash came fromaround the world and served as a constant annoyance to Turnupseed. The cause of the fire is unknown. Both Dean and Turnupseed were pronounced dead at the scene. in Sherman Oaks around 2:00 p.m. to gas up for the 300 mile trip up to Salinas. We didnt like him because he had all of the girls in the room fawning all over him and we couldnt get a dance. they said. Turnupseed was president of the San Joaquin Valley chapter of NationalElectrical Contractors Association 1990-94. Search above to list available cemeteries. Sir Alecs prediction came true. When people ask me why I do this, I>> say, if James Dean had had his headlights on, he would still be alive>> today.>. "He turned it into a little race car." And it was Barris who eventually came to own the deathcar. Guinness appeared in nine of the British Film Institutes 100 greatest British films of the 20th century. American Folk Figure. You are nearing the transfer limit for memorials managed by Find a Grave. The simulation appeared to me to be using the highway layout as itexisted in 1955, as compared to contemporary photographs. Look at this 2004 Turbo Cabriolet, and at the Porsche 550 Spyder that actor James Dean was driving in 1955 when his life ended, and a legend began, after crashing into Donald Turnupseed's Ford. On Mon, 11 Mar 2019 12:16:20 -0700 (PDT). > You said much the same thing here when we discussed this in 1999. The sponsor of a memorial may add an additional. Photos larger than 8Mb will be reduced. > Dean was heading west from Bakersfield to join the 101 at Paso Robles. "There's always somebody calling up or coming to the door.We had to push them out the door.". Are 90 Day: The Single Life Stars Natalie and Josh Still Together? Although he has refused interviews for decades, Turnupseed did speakwith the Tulare Advance Register hours after the crash. And the fact the ford was partially side swiped adds to that guess. I googled the situation and found dozens of arguments/privateinvestigations of the accident, so I know that the InsuranceCompany and California Highway Patrol also recognized there weretoo many factors too fuzzy from which to glean conclusions. Try again later. A witness, John Robert White, reportedly saw the Spyder fly into the air and tumble two or three times in cartwheels before landing in a gully beside the shoulder of the road, northwest of the junction. In fact Little Bastard had caused upset almost from the moment Dean bought it. 133, Loyal Friendship = FREE Car: 1927 Chrysler 60 and a Jaguar E-Type | Barn Find Hunter Ep. etc, never came toany conclusion as to who was at fault, and the matter wasdropped. At, Regarding the James Dean crash: My father with the attending physician for, James Dean's last words: "That guy's got to stop! Turnupseed was gradually turning left to take the turn towards Highway 41 at the intersection. MGWInformation on Hurricane Assistance - http://uniquelygifted.org/katrina.htm. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. While it wasn't technically seen in any movies, actor James Dean's Porsche 550 Spyder (affectionately known as Little Bastard) could be the most iconic, and cursed car Hollywood has ever seen. Miraculously, the driver of the Ford, US Navy veteran Donald Turnupseed emerged with just a few facial bruises and a bloody nose. Should dogs put their heads out car windows? #jamesdean #rebelwithoutacause #caraccident. At approximately 5:15 p.m., Deans party hit the road, driving west on Route 466 toward Paso Robles, approximately 60 miles away. The CHP office at San Luis Obispo said a car driven by Donald Turnupseed of Tulare made a left turn on Highway 41 while traveling east, colliding almost head on with Dean's tiny sports car. 1128138816.@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com, 1128163290.@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com. Answer (1 of 2): It would appear that the accident investigation came to no conclusion as to blame, in part possibly due to Dean's speed at the time, the small profile of Dean's car, and questionable light conditions. Dean was killed instantly, but Little Bastard would go on to cause considerably more trouble. After being interviewed by the CHP, Turnupseed hitch-hiked in the dark to his home in Tulare. In 1981 he too died in a car crash. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. Turnupseed's death was overshadowed by Dean's. The driver of the other car, 23-year-old California Polytechnic State University student Donald Turnupseed, was dazed but mostly uninjured; Dean's passenger, German Porsche mechanic Oops, some error occurred while uploading your photo(s). (*) I guess it's not a secret anymore . The car was smashed up when Donald crashed with James Dean in his Porsche. These are the only three such snapshots of the wreck in existence. Kustomrama is an encyclopedia dedicated to preserve, share and protect traditional hot rod and custom car history from all over the world. They were taken by police officers and later given to the lawyer of the Ford driver when it was thought a court case would brought against him. Donald Turnupseed drifted into the oncoming lane and collided with James Deans car. -from the Tulare Advanced Register, July 13/14, 1995. We had a go at this in a.o in mid-1999. 24-year-old James Dean was killed when his Porsche 550 Spyder collided when 23-year-old college student Donald Turnupseeds 1950 Ford Tudor Custom coupe as it made a left turn at the junction of State Highways 41 and 46. No one was injured. Donald Gene Turnupseed 1932 - 1995 . Ernest Tripke and his partner, Corp. Ronald Nelson were called to the scene. Jack Elsom For Mailonline, Tearful moment couple is surprised halfway through their wedding by the man whoreceived their 11-year-old son's donated heart and they're able to listen to it beating in his chest for the first time in seven years, Was speeding Tesla driving in autopilot when it ran a red light and killed a pedestrian? Privacy Policy. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. And some strange thing came over me. Dean tried to swerve, but collided almost head on with Turnupseed's 1950 Ford Tudor. When the train arrived in Los Angeles, Barris said he signed the manifest and verified that the seal was intactbut the boxcar was empty. Shortly before 5pm, Dean was traveling east on Route 46 when he collided with a Ford Tudor driven by Donald Turnupseed, who was turning Dean died in a car crash nearly 65 years ago (September 30, 1955) but he remains a fixture on the pop culture landscape as the gold standard of cool. https://deadwrite.wordpress.com/tag/donald-turnupseed/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_James_Dean, THE BARRIS STUFF | Page 3 | The H.A.M.B. Everything We Know, Pax Jolie-Pitt Shops for Groceries During Rare Solo Outing, Tom Sandoval Cheated on Ariana Madix With Raquel Leviss for 6 Months, Inside 90 Day Fiance Stars Molly Hopkins and Kelly Browns Split, Prince Harry Doesnt See Himself As a Victim: His Spare Claims, 'Disney World' Prices: Times When Meri Browns Inn Retreats Got Slammed, Stars Who Died in 2023: Honoring the Celebrities We Lost This Year, 90 Days Yara Shares Before, After Photos of Breast Augmentation Surgery. In it, Dean fiddles nervously with a rope lasso and ends the spot by saying, Take it easy driving the life you save may be mine. The man behind the wheel of the car that killed James Dean. Didn't mean to imply that it would. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. At the time of the crash, Dean had completed one other film, 1956s Giant, which starred Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor. Thanks, Shirley, but I don't think I get that channel! What about "Titanic"? Donald Turnupseed, a college student, was making his way towards Fresno with no intention of making headlines . After commissioning an artist for some body work, James had the artist paint "Little Bastard" on the vehicle. In the TV special I saw no mention of the highway redesign. He was not ticketed or ever charged with any wrongdoing and he remained a recluse for the rest of his life. PARTI. Turnupseed, who was driving from school in . His body was battered, and there were numerous broken bones and cuts. When he reached the Route 41 junction, he went to take a left turn - not noticing the small silver Porsche headed in the opposite direction. Share this memorial using social media sites or email. The Fresno Bee followed up with a newspaper story exactly two months later, stating that the fire occurred on the night of March 11 and only slight damage occurred to the Spyder without any damage to other cars or property in the garage. After being interviewed by the CHP, Turnupseed hitch-hiked in the dark to his home in Tulare. This browser does not support getting your location. It even made an appearance at Indianapolis Raceway Park during the NHRA Drag Racing Championship tracks grand opening in 1960. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. The cars mirror finish was accented by the number 130 on the front hood, rear trunk and side doors and the name Little Bastard (designated as such by Dean himself) on the back. Both Dean and Turnupseed were pronounced dead at the scene. The gruesome display was promoted as: James Deans Last Sports Car. A car driven by Donald Turnupseed of Tulare, California, a 23-year-old Cal Poly student, turned left in front of Dean's light aluminum Porche Spyder and the two automobiles crashed head-on. The two lanes have remained virtually unchanged since then, while the population of the southern San Joaquin Valley has grown 120% since the crash. A week before the fatal crash Dean met British actor Alec Guinness in Los Angeles. His mechanic was a passenger. On that fateful Friday, Wtherich sat next to Dean, while Hickman followed with his truck and trailer. "You could never get close to Don." The accident probably caused Turnupseed to be more private still, Paggi said. I'm just glad that brake lights come on automatically, or people wouldn'tuse those, either. I secretly(*) hope they will have a wreck, but just not involve me! I always drive the route when going to visit home (LA) and theintersection where the crash occurred is somewhere off to theright of the present intersection, so it is hard to say whathappened just by driving through there. It seems like iremember something about him getting arrested for flying in drugs in a small plane? Shell do a hundred and fifty, replied Dean. In March of 1959, while in storage in Fresno, the car mysteriously caught fire. She was not decapitated like people say. Turnupseed developed a fondness for cars while a student at TulareUnion High School in the 1940s when he got a Model A, said Al Paggi,owner of Paggi Electric. The vendor, also called Robert Coyle, said: 'These are official. See Photos of Your Favorite Stars Going Topless, Lets Go to the Beach! The crash happened where your fingers meet, with the Porsche coming toward you on your middle finger and the Ford traveling up your forearm toward your index finger in the opposite direction. Wasn't there somespeeding on Dean's part? He traded in his Speedster for the Spyder on September 21, and his new buddy Wtherich was part of the deal. Guinness had already received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in The Lavender Hill Mob in 1951. They reported that both cars were traveling at high speeds and that Deans car had passed Turnupseeds moments before the collision. It is ironic that Cholame sits within a mile of the San Andreas Fault-line because on September 30, 1955, the death of James Dean caused a seismic shift in pop culture history that resonates to this day. As they approached the intersection, an unsuspecting student, Donald Turnupseed, drove back home in his Ford Tudor. It can easily be missed unless you know its there. Turnupseed later testified at a hearing held in San Luis Obispo that he slowed as he approached the intersection, glanced up the hill to look for oncoming cars, and then crossed over the line to continue his left turn on to Highway 41. Turnupseed's car was struck by a speeding silver grey PorscheSpyder driven by Dean, who at 24 was the star of three major films. Parking and walking over to the spot where James Dean died is a dangerous exercise on this remote, but very busy highway. Some almost different voice and I said, Look, I wont join your table unless you want me to, but I must say something: Please do not get into that car, because if you do and I looked at my watch and I said, if you get into that car at all, its now Friday, 10 oclock at night and by 10 oclock at night next Friday, youll be dead if you get into that car.