Note: the location the vehicle was found was near where Bridges Creek comes into the Eel.

CHP Press Report:

On August 20, 2012, a missing persons report was taken listing a red 1997 Chevy Tahoe as a vehicle associated with three (3) people last seen either August 4th or 5th in Garberville, California.

On August 21, 2012, at 10:45 am, a red Chevy Tahoe with extensive collision damage was discovered by a citizen, approximately 150 feet over an embankment on US-101, south of Confusion Hill in Mendocino County.  The bodies of three deceased adults were located in the Chevy.  The Chevy had been traveling from Garberville to Leggett, California and the collision appears to have occurred August 4th or 5th, the date the missing persons were reportedly last seen.  The driver of the Chevy, 38 year old Phillip R. Manus of Legget, California was identified by family members at the scene and had been listed as one of the missing persons.  The Chevy was not visible from the roadway and any evidence of a collision was not obvious.  Two of the three occupants had their seat belts on at the time of the collision.  DUI as a contributing factor to this collision is being investigated. 

 

The names of the remaining occupants have not been released pending positive identification and next of kin notification.