A quiet stretch of State Route 4 near Copperopolis turned into an active investigation Thursday evening after a man was found dead beside a parked vehicle, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Witnesses spotted the vehicle on the shoulder of SR-4 near Stallion Way around 6:30 p.m. and called it in. Responding officers found a man near the vehicle, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. CHP officials said the death is under investigation and that, at this point, there are no indications of suspicious circumstances. Investigators also told reporters they believe the case may be tied to a missing-person advisory.
According to CBS Sacramento, the CHP San Andreas area office said witnesses first reported the parked vehicle at the junction of SR-4 and Stallion Way. The station reported that the man had not yet been identified and that investigators were at the scene Thursday night collecting evidence.
Where the discovery happened
The discovery took place on a rural segment of State Route 4 that runs between Copperopolis and Angels Camp. Stallion Way connects into SR-4 near the Copperopolis area, in a corridor that already has Caltrans crews focused on long-term safety upgrades…