California Governor Gavin Newsom is being urged to intervene in the parole of Joseph Tidwell, a man convicted of second-degree murder for a 2004 head-on collision that killed two volunteer rescue workers. Tidwell, who was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the crash, has been granted parole after serving 22 years of a 45-year-to-life sentence.
The crash occurred on July 17, 2004, when Tidwell, then 35, crossed the center line on a Joshua Tree road while driving impaired and struck a vehicle carrying members of the San Gorgonio Search and Rescue Team. The collision killed Phil Calvert, 58, and Scott Johnston, who were en route to a search for a missing teenager. The survivor of the rescue vehicle, Bob Blanck, witnessed Johnston's death and suffered severe injuries, including a broken leg and foot, internal bleeding, and spent weeks in intensive care.
Tidwell was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder in 2007. Prosecutors argued that his prior convictions and the circumstances of the crash warranted the murder charges. He was sentenced to 45 years to life.
In December 2024, Tidwell, now 55, applied for parole under California's Elderly Parole Program, which allows inmates aged 50 and older who have served at least 20 years to be considered. After an initial denial, Tidwell was granted parole on June 30, 2026.
Blanck, who has since recovered from his injuries and become a teacher, has spoken out against Tidwell's impending release, stating that 22 years is insufficient punishment for the deaths of his friends and colleagues. He is appealing to Governor Newsom and state legislators to prevent Tidwell's release, emphasizing that the parole system is allowing individuals convicted of serious crimes to be freed prematurely. A proposed bill to raise the minimum age for elderly parole to 65 has not yet passed.
Tidwell has not yet been released, and his parole is pending final approval from Governor Newsom. Blanck stated that he is speaking out because his colleagues can no longer do so and that this issue transcends partisan politics, focusing instead on justice for the victims and their families.