A 34-year-old Oregon man was found dead beside Highway 255 just south of Arcata yesterday. The deceased was found in a ditch while his belongings, a backpack and wheeled basket, were found neatly along the road.

“There was no body trauma. Nothing indicative that he was hit by a car,” explained Officer Greg Pope of the Arcata Police Department. The man, he said, was a “local transient,” someone known to law enforcement.

According to Humboldt County Deputy Coroner Trevor Enright, there are “no suspicious circumstances.” The death is believed to be a natural event.

Attempts to locate family are ongoing.