Tonya and PQBON's WebLog
News - Violin maker dies in freeway crash - sacbee.com
Muller was killed early Saturday morning in an automobile crash on Highway 50, according to the California Highway Patrol. He died when his 2003 Toyota slammed head-on with a Honda around 1:20 a.m., authorities said. The CHP said Muller was traveling in the wrong direction in the eastbound lanes near Sunrise Boulevard in Rancho Cordova. Investigators do not know why Muller was driving on the wrong side of the highway.
This happened right after we went through.
I was passed on my way to my parents this weekend by the silver toyota on US50 just 1 exit up from where the accident happened. The toyota was in the fast lane on the east bound side of US-50 going west bound. Tonya called 911 to report it right after we safely passed him. I was a little nervous as I had my daughter, mother and wife in the car.
I was originally in the fast lane but I saw white lights that appeared to be on the wrong side of the median so I moved over. I actually figured it was a moron who was in a pickup or something backing up to pick up lost cargo. It was a car's headlights coming at me at at least 60mph. I focused on not hitting him. We didn't. It woke everyone but Katie up though...
Even at age 87, Albert Carl Muller was still a master of his lifelong pursuit.
A violin maker since he was a young boy, Muller could be found almost daily in the rustic North Sacramento cottage that for many years was his shop. Though he had passed the shop along to a former apprentice, the two artists remained close and worked together.
"He was just a very kind, generous, caring man who was so knowledgeable," said Cheryl Macomber, Muller's former apprentice.
Muller was killed early Saturday morning in an automobile crash on Highway 50, according to the California Highway Patrol. He died when his 2003 Toyota slammed head-on with a Honda around 1:20 a.m., authorities said. The CHP said Muller was traveling in the wrong direction in the eastbound lanes near Sunrise Boulevard in Rancho Cordova. Investigators do not know why Muller was driving on the wrong side of the highway.
The 51-year-old driver of the Honda suffered major injuries, according to an accident report issued by the CHP. Two passengers in the Honda suffered minor injuries, police said.
Macomber said Muller had begun showing up at the violin shop less frequently in the last few weeks, but that when he did come, he remained busy.
"He was always just working on something or doing his paintings," she said.
Muller was very well-known in his trade, with a loyal client base that stretched up and down the West Coast, Macomber said.
According to a story about Muller in The Bee last August, the San Francisco native made 300 violins during his 60-year career. He began learning to make violins at the age of 8 and was taught the trade by his grandfather, himself a violin maker from Germany.
Muller's shop is situated in a tidy cottage behind a car dealership off El Camino Avenue. He closed the shop when his wife of 37 years died several years ago, but still used the space for woodworking and painting until Macomber reopened the business last June. After her teacher's death, Macomber said she plans to continue his legacy.
Posted by pqbon at January 29, 2007 12:42 AM