James “Rick” Fuller and Eric Fuller die in fatal San Luis Obispo County car crash
Fatal San Luis Obispo County car crash death of James “Rick” Fuller and Eric Fuller
The remains of two men, who were reported missing nearly three weeks prior, were discovered this week. Their bodies were located within a severely damaged vehicle situated off Highway 166 between Santa Maria and the Cuyama Valley. According to reports, the incident was classified as a vehicle rollover.
A spokesperson for the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office announced that deputies were called to the scene on Wednesday following the crash report. The spokesperson elaborated that the vehicle was found eighty feet below the main road, situated near the intersection of Highway 166 and Old Sierra Road.
The vehicle’s remote location within a dense, overgrown embankment explains why it was not discovered earlier. It was eventually identified by a Caltrans employee who observed the overturned vehicle hidden among heavy vegetation, making it difficult to spot from the roadway. This stretch of Highway 166, approximately thirty-nine miles east of Highway 101, falls under the jurisdiction of San Luis Obispo County authorities.
Emergency responders discovered two bodies inside the wreckage. Preliminary identification by investigators suggests the victims are James Fuller and Eric Fuller. Due to the advanced state of decomposition, definitive identification required DNA testing, a process expected to take several months.
The families of the deceased were notified about the tragic discovery. Law enforcement officials confirmed that the incident appears accidental, with no indication of foul play.
On June 10, a missing person report was filed after James Fuller’s friend, who had not been in contact for about four days, reported him missing. The friend mentioned seeing Fuller with his brother, Eric, prior to James’s disappearance. The report included addresses in Grover Beach and New Cuyama for James, though Eric’s hometown was unknown.
The disappearance investigation began when a relative of the missing men initiated social media searches. According to a post by James Fuller’s daughter, he and Eric Fuller departed from Cuyama around 3:00 PM on June 6, bound for a doctor’s appointment in Santa Maria. They were traveling in their blue 1998 GMC two-door truck with extra cab.
A family statement described their disappearance as highly unusual, noting it deviated significantly from the brothers’ normal behavior. Search efforts were mounted on June 18th, involving ground searches and air support, but the men and their vehicle were not found at that time.
Following the men’s discovery, a GoFundMe campaign was launched to assist the family with funeral and burial costs. The online fundraiser expressed profound sadness over the unresolved search for twenty-one days, detailing the extensive efforts undertaken by the family, including hiking and pursuing various leads. Despite these efforts, law enforcement was unable to search the area effectively after the search period concluded.
Kimberly Fish, James Fuller’s partner, shared her emotional experience, describing feeling utterly alone during the search and expressing a strong desire to find her companion. She remembered Fuller as a kind-hearted individual, characterized as a happy and fun person who cherished his family. Surviving him are two daughters, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Eric Fuller, originally from Oklahoma, maintained a close relationship with his brother and was remembered for his affectionate nature and country lifestyle, particularly his love for his children.
Funeral arrangements are being managed by Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel in Grover Beach, as communicated by the family.
James “Rick” Fuller and Eric Fuller die in fatal San Luis Obispo County car crash
Fatal San Luis Obispo County car crash death of James “Rick” Fuller and Eric Fuller
