Truck Driver

[musicman77]

I was just thinking about a UM episode I saw a while back that involved a truck driver in I think Arizona who started acting very bizarre(they last saw him in the woods praying and chanting loudly), and disappeared, or something like that. Anyone remember this one?

[Chris Billings]

Hi:

I sure do remember the episode! Here is a copy from an old post by Justin5256 that may help.

Paper: The Arizona Daily Star
Title: Kan. trucker who left his rig is still missing
Author: Associated Press
Date: June 4, 1995
Section: METRO/REGION
Page: 5B

Authorities yesterday still were unable to determine what happened to a Kansas
trucker who drove his produce-laden rig into a remote area and apparently
abandoned it.Devin Williams, 28, of Americus, Kan., was to have arrived in
Kansas City early last Monday but was reported missing late that day after he
failed to show up.

Williams, who drove for Flint Hills Transportation of Emporia, Kan., was seen in
Kingman on Arizona's western edge earlier. He last checked in with his company
on Saturday.

The refrigerated truck, loaded with salad mix and strawberries, was found stuck
in the mud in the Buck Springs area off Arizona Highway 87, about 45 miles
southeast of Flagstaff, but there was no sign of Williams. The truck was towed
to Flagstaff on Thursday.

``I can't imagine why anyone would have driven there,'' said Sheriff's Detective
Bruce Cornish. ``It's such a remote area. It certainly isn't a shortcut to
Kansas City.''

Authorities said Williams was seen near his truck last Sunday by several
campers.

They told sheriff's deputies they asked Williams why he drove the truck into the
area and that he pointed at the truck and said ``I didn't do it, they did it.''
Then, he walked back to his truck, the family said.

An ice chest, food and a sleeping bag had been left in the truck, authorities
said. They said the load was intact.

Author: Associated Press
Section: METRO/REGION
Page: 5B

Copyright 1995, 1999 The Arizona Daily Star

[crystaldawn]

His remains were eventually found. Here is an excerpt from an online article that mentions him:

"Another myth involving a skull brings us much closer to home on the time line. The myth began on May 28, 1995, when a long-distance truck driver named Devin Williams claimed to have been accosted by aliens on the Mogollon Rim near Payson.

For reasons no one will ever know, Williams was on his way to Kansas City, yet drove his 18-wheeler off Highway 87 and found his way to Buck Springs near Myrtle Point. After becoming stuck, he left the truck and met some campers. They reported later that he seemed dazed. When they asked him why he drove that big truck in there, he pointed toward the truck and said, "I didn't do it. They did it." That was on Sunday.

Other witnesses reported seeing him the next day, Monday, not far from the truck but this time he was barefooted and "talking to a tree." After that, he simply disappeared, leaving personal possessions in the truck. They included an expensive citizen's band radio and his favorite hat that he always kept with him.

Williams had a wife and three children, respect of his fellow workers and community, and a perfectly clean record relating to any drug or alcohol use.

It wasn't long before UFO organizations and psychics were on the case, searching the forested area where the truck had been left. Some reported having dreams in which his abduction was visualized; another saw him falling off the edge of the Rim in her dream.

The story was picked up nationally in various media and took on mythological proportions. On March 15, 1996, NBC aired a segment about Williams on the show "Unsolved Mysteries." More than 130 "tips" came in immediately after the program, and all were investigated by the Coconino Sheriff's office. None were helpful in solving Williams' disappearance.

Then two years later, May 2, 1997, a skull was found near the intersection of Forest Road 321 and the Rim Road 300. Forensic specialists identified it as that of Devin Williams.

Rumors about his abduction were partially put to rest, but the mythology continues, especially among those who indulge in UFO matters."

[mozartpc27]

Originally Posted by crystaldawn

His remains were eventually found. Here is an excerpt from an online article that mentions him:

"Another myth involving a skull brings us much closer to home on the time line. The myth began on May 28, 1995, when a long-distance truck driver named Devin Williams claimed to have been accosted by aliens on the Mogollon Rim near Payson.

For reasons no one will ever know, Williams was on his way to Kansas City, yet drove his 18-wheeler off Highway 87 and found his way to Buck Springs near Myrtle Point. After becoming stuck, he left the truck and met some campers. They reported later that he seemed dazed. When they asked him why he drove that big truck in there, he pointed toward the truck and said, "I didn't do it. They did it." That was on Sunday.

Other witnesses reported seeing him the next day, Monday, not far from the truck but this time he was barefooted and "talking to a tree." After that, he simply disappeared, leaving personal possessions in the truck. They included an expensive citizen's band radio and his favorite hat that he always kept with him.

Williams had a wife and three children, respect of his fellow workers and community, and a perfectly clean record relating to any drug or alcohol use.

It wasn't long before UFO organizations and psychics were on the case, searching the forested area where the truck had been left. Some reported having dreams in which his abduction was visualized; another saw him falling off the edge of the Rim in her dream.

The story was picked up nationally in various media and took on mythological proportions. On March 15, 1996, NBC aired a segment about Williams on the show "Unsolved Mysteries." More than 130 "tips" came in immediately after the program, and all were investigated by the Coconino Sheriff's office. None were helpful in solving Williams' disappearance.

Then two years later, May 2, 1997, a skull was found near the intersection of Forest Road 321 and the Rim Road 300. Forensic specialists identified it as that of Devin Williams.

Rumors about his abduction were partially put to rest, but the mythology continues, especially among those who indulge in UFO matters."

Blast it all. I've never seen this segment, but it sounds like the type that interest me most!

[crystaldawn]

Originally Posted by mozartpc27

Blast it all. I've never seen this segment, but it sounds like the type that interest me most!

Its on volume 4 of my compilation dvds.

[Awsi Dooger]

Apparently Devin Williams' skull was found very close to where he was last reported. Here's a section of a document, one in which Williams' relatives filed for workers compensation, claiming his death was due to work related activity. The court ruled the claim could not be substantiated and it was rejected. An appeals court upheld that finding.

"In either April or May 1997, a portion of Mr. Williams’ skull was found near the bottom of a steep cliff within a short distance from where his truck was found and where several campers placed the strange-acting man."

[Gozerjr]

How creepy that you posted about this segment today as it just aired 5 minutes ago!!!!! Nice to have an update on this case tho

[mozartpc27]

Originally Posted by crystaldawn

Its on volume 4 of my compilation dvds.

You know, I will FINALLY be going to my parents' house tomorrow, so I will finally be able to pick the two up I got from you. I can't wait to take a look at them, and likely order more!

[Thiussat]

Yeah, this episode was on LRW tonight. My first impulse was that this case is so bizarre that it reminded me of the young man who had went to a small airport and jumped on the wing of a moving plane. The man was later identified (years later) and his mother said he was schizophrenic. This man, like Williams, had said "people were after him" etc.. Classic sign of delusions brought on by schizophrenia. Case closed (though UM never did an update).

I think the same thing happened to Williams. There obviously was no kidnapper or hastage taker. The fact that Williams was talking to a tree and was telling onlookers that he was trying to light a non-existant grill (by scratching a rock against a $20 bill) tells me that he had some mental health issues. His family denies it, but perhaps it was latent and suddenly brought on. This is rare (since most people evince symptoms by their early 20's), but it is the only logical explanation I can think of.

I think his death was suicide (or perhaps an accident brought on by his odd behavior).

This was a great episode, there is a more interesting case in this episode, though. It involved the young couple killed while making out in their car. I will start a thread.

[wiseguy182]

Originally Posted by Thiussat

Yeah, this episode was on LRW tonight. My first impulse was that this case is so bizarre that it reminded me of the young man who had went to a small airport and jumped on the wing of a moving plane. The man was later identified (years later) and his mother said he was schizophrenic. This man, like Williams, had said "people were after him" etc.. Classic sign of delusions brought on by schizophrenia. Case closed (though UM never did an update).

I think the same thing happened to Williams. There obviously was no kidnapper or hastage taker. The fact that Williams was talking to a tree and was telling onlookers that he was trying to light a non-existant grill (by scratching a rock against a $20 bill) tells me that he had some mental health issues. His family denies it, but perhaps it was latent and suddenly brought on. This is rare (since most people evince symptoms by their early 20's), but it is the only logical explanation I can think of.

I think his death was suicide (or perhaps an accident brought on by his odd behavior).

This was a great episode, there is a more interesting case in this episode, though. It involved the young couple killed while making out in their car. I will start a thread.

It might not exactly be that cut and dried. It could be like the Tyler case where the guy developed amnesia after stealing some stuff. Perhaps something similar happened here. Or perhaps he saw something horrible and the only way his mind could deal with it was to block it out by developing amnesia. Or any one of a number of possiblities. You don't know for a fact he had schizophrenia.

[Thiussat]

No, of course I don't know for sure, but I am simply saying that his behavior reminds me of someone suffering psychotic delusions. I think any shrink who saw someone acting like that would agree.

Amnesia is possible, but it doesn't explain delusional thinking or the strange fact that he drove an 18 wheeler into the wilderness on a dirt road.

I think there was definitely a mental health issue here, either brought on by illicit drug use, or perhaps trauma to the head, or simply something that would have happened anyway. I guess we will never know.

I would be interested to see if any of his close family members suffered from any diagnosable mental illness.

[Shakou]

Originally Posted by Thiussat

No, of course I don't know for sure, but I am simply saying that his behavior reminds me of someone suffering psychotic delusions. I think any shrink who saw someone acting like that would agree.

Amnesia is possible, but it doesn't explain delusional thinking or the strange fact that he drove an 18 wheeler into the wilderness on a dirt road.

I think there was definitely a mental health issue here, either brought on by illicit drug use, or perhaps trauma to the head, or simply something that would have happened anyway. I guess we will never know.

I would be interested to see if any of his close family members suffered from any diagnosable mental illness.

It seems that I'm just a wee bit late replying to this thread, but seeing as this episode in particular is one of the few cases on UM that has literally sends a chill up my spine, I couldn't resist.

I don't think you're to far off from your theory of a mental break down of some sort. Sadly, through out history, truck drivers have been known to go absolutely bat****-insane and delusional from the solitude of life on the road.
The movie Black Dog was actually based on these cases. Unfortunately, it seems to me that somewhere along the road, something snapped in Devin Williams, and he ended up losing touch of reality, and clearly not knowing where he was or even WHO he was, he either walked or jumped off a cliff (if you've ever seen pictures of the Mogollon Rim where his remains were found, it's a HUGE drop off) and died.

Something very similar happened to my boyfriend's uncle, way back in the late 80's. Luckily for him however, he was found before he got himself hurt. I've been trying forever to find this episode online to show to my boyfriend, but it's nowhere. If anyone happens to have it or a link, please send it my way!!

[Titan826]

Originally Posted by Shakou

It seems that I'm just a wee bit late replying to this thread, but seeing as this episode in particular is one of the few cases on UM that has literally sends a chill up my spine, I couldn't resist.

I don't think you're to far off from your theory of a mental break down of some sort. Sadly, through out history, truck drivers have been known to go absolutely bat****-insane and delusional from the solitude of life on the road.
The movie Black Dog was actually based on these cases. Unfortunately, it seems to me that somewhere along the road, something snapped in Devin Williams, and he ended up losing touch of reality, and clearly not knowing where he was or even WHO he was, he either walked or jumped off a cliff (if you've ever seen pictures of the Mogollon Rim where his remains were found, it's a HUGE drop off) and died.

Something very similar happened to my boyfriend's uncle, way back in the late 80's. Luckily for him however, he was found before he got himself hurt. I've been trying forever to find this episode online to show to my boyfriend, but it's nowhere. If anyone happens to have it or a link, please send it my way!!

Crystaldawn's volume 4 dvd has this case. If you send her a PM she can probably send you a copy.