Crash Diet

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## Briefing

A man runs onto the freeway and throws lumps of earth at people's windscreens. Getraer has been advised that his officers need to fight the war on fat and that the computer has determined the whole department needs to lose 1000lbs.

## Traffic Violations

* Speeding Mini Bus/failure to yield - Citation given.
* Freeway thrower - Apprehended.

## Report

Jon notices that Ponch hasn't been his cheery self. Ponch tells him that he's got a bad feeling that Getraer is going to do something today.

A mini bus full of women are complaining they're going to be late if their coach doesn't hurry up. They're heading for a volleyball match and if they're late they forfeit the game. The girls start changing in the bus.

While Jon and Ponch are riding on the freeway and man steps out and throw some earth at Ponch's bike hitting him square on the windshield. They both stop but are unable to find him when Ponch looks for him. The Coach tells the girls to duck since Jon and Ponch are on the shoulder but it's too late, one of the girls drops her jersey out the window and it lands at Jon's feet. They chase after the speeding mini bus.

The chase ends when the bus arrives at a private property. Jon opens the door to the bus, and the women walk out with only their shoes and socks on. Jon and Ponch stare at each other while the girls get out. They write a ticket for the Coach.

A couple are driving on the freeway when a man jumps out and throws a lump of earth at their windscreen, causing them to swerve and do a spin.

During briefing, Getraer tells everyone about the man who throws dirt at people's windscreens. Getraer then pulls out a computer print out of the stations physical. Grossie gets uncomfortable because he's a little on the chubby side and he hides a can of soda under his helmet. Jon tells Ponch to look at Grossie who's in shock. The computer has determined how much their station must lose and has come up with a weight loss of 1000lbs. The weight difference is determined by their previous weight to their weight now, Getraer weighs himself and deducts it from the total.

A woman is taking a man on his first freeway drive, he's clearly nervous. A man runs out and throws a clump of earth at the windshield. The driving instructor screams and the driver swerves and drives up an embankment. Jon and Ponch spot them and stop to give assistance.

The woman tells him what happened.

Grossie gets on the scale, and Getraer tells him he's still the same weight. Grossie tells him that it's his natural weight and that he's always been fat. He's brought with him his family album to prove it. Getraer doesn't care and tells him he needs to lose the recommended weight. Jon and Ponch tell Getraer they'll lose 5ibs each to help Grossie meet the computers recommended weight loss.

Ponch hands Getraer a report on the Freeway Thrower, Getraer tells them to pay special attention to him.

Jon tells Ponch that they've had freeway homesteaders before but they've never wanted to harm anyone before let alone be seen. Ponch believes it's still the case otherwise the man would be throwing rocks instead of earth. He believes that the man wants to be noticed and agree that the man needs their special attention just like Getraer ordered.

Out on patrol, Jon and Ponch make a pit stop where the man was seen throwing chunks of earth and look around. When they return to their bikes they're covered in dirt, at least they know they're in the right place.

On the freeway a box truck is driving along unaware that the back is billowing black smoke. Jon and Ponch spot the truck and start chasing it. The label on the truck is marked 'Explosives'. Another driver honks at him and points to his rear, the driver first waves at the driver and then notices the smoke. He stops and goes to open the back hatch, the fresh intake of air causes a backdraft and the man falls back. Jon and Ponch stop and try to help the man who's panicking. Unable to drive due to the flash burns, Jon takes the truck to a safe place. Ponch rides after him and when Jon stops, Ponch picks him up shortly after the truck blows up and causes the pair to fall off the bike. Jon isn't happy that Ponch came after him which could have resulted in two people being killed, Ponch tells him to report him.

Grossie is doing sit ups in the report room, with the help of Getraer and Barclay. He manages one sit up.

Ponch believes that the man throwing dirt needs to be caught by a person and wants to get close to him.

Jon and Ponch are waiting in his mini for the man to show up. Jon can't sleep in his car and believes they're in the wrong place. Jon just wants Ponch to stay awake and keep him company. Jon hears footsteps and calls to Ponch. Ponch eventually hears them too and opens his eyes. The man appears at Ponch's window. Ponch asks him his name and he tells them it's Leonard. Ponch introduces himself and Jon and attempts to leave the car, Leonard won't allow it. Ponch tells him they're like friends, Leonard cryptically tells them that his friends are on the great big lawn, and when he read the stones he got lost. Jon asks if he's got a home, Leonard tells him he has a room and one day they locked him in it. Ponch tells him they're there to take him anywhere he wants to go. Leonard runs off and Jon tells Ponch not to go after him since they're on his turf.

The next morning, Jon and Ponch are in the park getting ready to jog, Ponch has been thinking over what Leonard said the previous night. They spot Getraer dozing on a park bench. He's not happy that the pair called him at 4am to tell him about Leonard and the worst part was they lost him again. Ponch tells him they told him so he could get the credit for it. Ponch tells Getraer that the stones Leonard was reading was from a cemetery and deduces that the biggest one in the area is near a VA hospital. Getraer tells him it's not when he spoke to the LAPD at 4:15 am. Grossie comes jogging in and Getraer runs off with him. Getraer turns around and tells Jon and Ponch to get moving.

The group pass by some girls playing volleyball. Jon and Ponch immediately recognise them as the ones they stopped the other day. They're short a couple of players. Jon asks if they won the match the other day. Carol tells them she thought she recognised them and her friend tells Jon he looks different without his uniform on. Ponch tells her the same. Carol tells them they lost the game and they're out of the league and the team broke up as a result. The girls split Jon and Ponch between teams and their volleyball skills are 0.

Getraer comes back with Grossie and stop to watch them make a bad job of the game. Once Ponch spots Getraer he stops the game short, the women tell them they're there everyday.

Getraer is talking to a Doctor from the VA hospital that Leonard is from. The Doctor tells Getraer that Leonard is a part-time patient and spends the rest of his time with his sister, she reported him missing 3 days ago. Leonard, hates cars because his wife was killed on the freeway and he was driving. He sustained a head wound from Vietnam and was only just recovering when the accident happened. Getraer asks if he wants to be found or stay lost. The Doctor believes he wants help and thinks he can bring him in.

Jon and Ponch take the Doctor to the spot where they found Leonard. He tells the pair to stay out of sight. The Doctor shouts for Leonard and he comes running out and hugs him, they head to his car but Jon and Ponch's hiding techniques leave a lot to be desired and he spots them. He throws the Doctor to the ground and runs across the freeway. Jon and Ponch pursue on their bikes. Eventually, they catch Leonard.

Back at Central Getraer is taking the final figures for the weight loss program. Grossie hasn't lost his target weight but he has lost weight none-the-less. Getraer tells Jon and Ponch it's up to them to reach the rest of the target. With both of their combined weight losses, the station has reached their goal of 1000lbs. Grossie sneaks out and back in and then puts a false base onto the scales. Getraer totals up the total weight loss and includes his weight from the initial weigh in. Grossie tells Getraer he needs to re-weight himself since it's was last week since he was weighed and it's today's weight that counts. Getraer has no problems getting on the scales and everyone notices he's put on 10lbs. Getraer doesn't understand it. Grossie winks to Jon.

## Notes

### Codes used.

* 10-97 - Arrived at the scene.
* 11-82 - Traffic Accident; No injuries.
* 10-19 - En Route.

## Cast

### Main Cast Edit

* Larry Wilcox: Jon Baker
* Erik Estrada: Frank Poncherello
* Robert Pine: Joe Getraer

### Others

* Don "Red" Barry: Truck Driver
* Steve Franken: Student Driver
* Robert Lussier: Coach
* John Milford: Doctor
* Herman Poppe: Leonard
* Deborah Pratt: Carol
* Crystin Sinclaire: Linda
* Nita Talbot: Driving Instructor