SANTI SENA, Alturas Calling

I told you about how the Rainbow Family Gathering 2004 had come to a very rural and isolated area in Northeastern California. While there was some tourism benefit, it was mostly burden to the locals. It is the habit of some of the Rainbows to stick around to do scrounge mooch off the locals don't have anything more productive to do help clean up..

Well, evidently two Rainbow Family folks decided the local grocery store* needed cleaning up--or out--or some righteous vibes or something. That private property rap is like, so restrictive. Or like Babylon or something. Or the Santi Sena wasn't around to get these dudes righteous.

According to the Herold and News, two bright Rainbow lights, Michael Eugene Campbell, 29, (Lakewood, CO), and a friend, Eric Shane Schlicht, 33 (somewhere in New England) were in Alturas, CA (population under 3,000) when they decided to replenish the larder. Late in July, 2004, they entered the Holiday Market on Sunday and planned a diversion. This is a little difficult because as you can see, Campbell has some distinctive tatoos, including a blue nose.

The men filled a shopping cart and then separated. As you might imagine in a town of that size, the store isn't large, so a diversion might be easy to pull off. Campbell threw a large jar of pickles to the ground, and while the mess was being attended to, Schlict split for his car.

He made a it a few blocks--could he have been driving impaired?--before being cornered and arrested by Modoc County deputies. Meanwhile, Campbell tried to go to ground, but again, this is a teeny little burg, and was quickly apprehended after he threatened a man with the man's own hammer and barricaded himself in somebody else's house.

Eventually Campbell and Schlict were both in the pokey in the Modoc County Jail, conveniently located right down the street from the crime scene. I guess they aren't used to enterprising prisoners in Modoc county, because Campbell (remember, he has a blue nose) made a daring escape Sunday afternoon (July 25, 2004). Although two peace officers were nearby, Campbell was able to elude them.

Alturas had returned to its rural habit of unlocked doors, and Campbell was able to steal some clothes, ditch his orange jail jumpsuit, and also steal a transport--a bike. But it was hotter than hell that afternoon, and an alert citizen spotted Campbell on the bike in town, where he was quickly apprehended and returned to custody, and later transferred to High Desert State Prison in Susanville. About as un-Rainbow as you can get.

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*How did Alturas get so lucky? It is also on the route from Seattle to Burning Man.

Comments

[Just some one]

It seems if one is to write about a subject then please get your facts correct. Though it is true that Campbell did throw the pickle jar Schlicht did not leave the store with the cart, Campbell did. Schlicht did leave the store in his car after realizing what Campbell did but only after seeing the cart and an altercation between Campbell and a store manager.

After Schlicht left the store parking lot, Campbell ran across the lot and entered the vehicle via the passanger side and forced Schlicht to proceed.

As for being impaired Schlicht was not and as for being cornered once again Schlicht was not cornered. It was only after Campbell left the vehicle did Schlicht stop allow himself to be apprehened.

Once said and done, Schlicht left Alturas will no charges.