FBI investigates Army imposter (re: interstate bridge collapse)

News Oklahoma ^ | June 5, 2002 | AP

[Prodigal Daughter]

FBI investigates Army imposter
2002-06-05
By The Associated Press

The FBI is investigating a man who called himself an Army captain and looked through a briefcase and laptop computer belonging to a victim of last month's deadly interstate bridge collapse.

The man, wearing fatigues and a beret, showed up within two hours of the Interstate 40 collapse and told the mayor he was in charge. He identified himself as Capt. William Clark.

Mayor Jewell Horne said Wednesday that the man told her Army Capt. Andrew Clements had died in the river and that his briefcase and laptop were in the water. A fisherman found the items the day of the collapse and gave them to a Webbers Falls police officer.

The officer gave the items to Clark, who took them and went through them, the mayor said. He brought the briefcase and computer to city hall later that day and asked the mayor to lock them in a safe.

He wanted the key, but Horne said she refused to give it to him.

"He kept trying to say that he was in charge," Horne said. "I finally looked at him and said, 'No, you're not. Until the governor declares martial law, you are not in charge in this town.'"

The mysterious man left Webbers Falls on Monday night, she said.

The mayor said it was eerie that the man knew Clements was among the victims even before his body was recovered.

"But he was correct," she said. "There was a Capt. Clements. There was a briefcase and there was a computer."

Clements, 35, of Woodbridge, Va., was among 14 people killed May 26 when a barge hit the Interstate 40 bridge, causing it to topple into the Arkansas River.

Horne said she was so busy answering phones and directing rescuers that she "didn't have time to think a lot" or check the man's credentials. Two volunteers from the Tulsa medical examiner's office eventually called authorities to check on him, she said.

The FBI, the Army and police in Van Buren and Fort Smith, Ark., are looking for the man, said FBI spokesman Gary Johnson. He said the man obtained goods and services by impersonating a rescue worker.

"It's certainly a very intense investigation," Johnson said.

Authorities are looking into whether the man stayed at a hotel in Van Buren, Ark., free under the auspices of taking part in the rescue operation.

The man also told an Associated Press reporter his name was Capt. William Clark and that he was from Fort Carson, Colo. The fort has no record of the man, said spokeswoman Kim Tisor.

[kcvl]

William Clark, Oklahoma

[VaBthang4]

Yeah...There was probably a better way to do this.

It sounds like Keystone Cops...on both sides.

It could just be a personality conflict with the "female" Mayor.

He probably wasnt paying attention to her civilian authority and she wasnt aquiescing to his military uniform & bars, and therein began a small military Man vs. Civilian yokel chic conflict juxtaposed over a backdrop of roll playing fantasy and sexual tension...LOL...I crack myself up.

Going in and proclaiming that he was "in charge" was his first mistake. ~grin~

Anyway, he looked at the items so he probably has a good idea of what was there. The computer and the briefcase will be given to either his wife or his boss...and it'll all shake out.

[cva66snipe]

Did you see what I found at that other link, about how he (and he alone) died?

He went off a bridge. Blunt head trauma would be a possibile injury. I was driving on the interstate one night going into Allentown Pa in an 18 wheeler and hit a pot hole. I was strapped in and still hit the top of the cab. Was he and he alone not wearing a seat belt, going through a rollover on the way down, or hit bridge debree in the water?

[cva66snipe]

Hope so.

[VaBthang4]

"The state medical examiner's office said the cause of death for all but one victim was drowning. U.S. Army Capt. Andrew Clements, 35, died from blunt head trauma."

Simply coincidence.

If someone wanted to knock him off there are a billion ["literally"] easier ways to do it.

Other than a barge smashing into a bridge and killing a bunch of folks then having a blumbering Army Officer sent to check things out who runs up on a highstrung bossy chic....there is no story here.

[VaBthang4]

"The bridge collapse could have been serendipity, a cover excuse of convenience that just happened to happen when it happened."

Black Helicopters

X-Files

Second Shooter on the Grassy Knoll

Did I miss any?

[stlnative]

I would think his blunt head injury was from the van being crushed (Did they not find some cars under the bridge edge that was in the water?)

http://www.west-point.org/users/usma1991/48072/article1.html

Nearly a dozen cars plunged into the river. Among the dead motorists were Clements, who was to have been promoted to major next week, and the family's German shepherd "Ostar." The family's new silver Honda Odyssey van was crushed and rendered nearly unrecognizable by the crash. The dog's travel carrier was perched atop remnants of the van, giving Clements' wife, Nicole, the first clue that her husband had been involved, family members told a hometown newspaper.

[Ann Archy]

Someone put a Pinger on his car obviously.....and Andrew Clements is the name of Ultrman?? WEIRD. But the dead guy had a LOT of MONEY from someplace to have such an expensive house and car.

[VaBthang4]

"Easier than hitting him on the head and tossing him into the drink?"

Yeah...

How about knocking him off on a Federal Military Base as opposed to someplace where civilian authority investigates it.

Back, and to the left....

Back, and to the left....

Back, and to the left....

Back, and to the left....

Back, and to the left....

Back, and to the left....

[Rocketman]

No story here?

Why then did he falsely identify himself? Why did he pass bad checks in town or so the accusation goes? and Why is the FBI looking for him?

Strike three you're out!

There's definitely something wrong here

The blunt trauma to the head causing death -- needs more definition -- blunt as in concrete and rebar or blunt as in the proverbial lead pipe to the back of the head?

I'm curious how we are so easily finding stuff on this guy? I don't recall medical examiniers posting on the web their findings.

Its almost like were reading a crafted cover story hat was made to be found. Dig a little here dig a little there and you can find out anything you want about this guy -- try compairing that with info of the victims of the OKC bombing or world trade center --

We know this guy's cars his dog his house where he came from duty sation wis his flight(s) across the US the laptop the briefcase and his coroners report

-- is anyone else amazed???

[Rocketman]

I see you like playing both ends against the middle.

Conspiracy -- not a conspiracy

Suppose our fearless captain was trading secrets . . . Suppose that Mr. X was his contact . . . Suppose that the FBI was already on their trail . . . Suppose that Mr. X knew the jig was up and decided that opportunity was knocking for him to eliminate . . .

So what then what do we have left:
1) A whole lot of money.
2) A body with trama to the head
3) The FBI
4) Mister X

You decide

I still think we are reading a cover story

[Ann Archy]

I agree...but most of them don't end up in a mystery.

[Ouachita]

bttt