Lyle, I don't know about the reporter -- maybe the question of where he was, what was he doing, is a clue to the explosion, and I agree with everyone these are questions that probably should be answered in a situation like this, to make sure it either WAS foul play or WASN't -- but --
You know, my dad used to work nights and sometimes was stopped by the Burbank police in the wee hours of the morning because of that thinking -- what reason could there be to be on the road? -- well, he was coming home from work, and not speeding or anything -- just
driving while 4:30 a.m. (We suspected the Burbank cops were more bored than the cops in the Valley, where he worked -- my dad's theory was the Valley cops were busier with a higher crime rate)
Also -- I'm kind of surprised anyone would say "there is no reason to be on the road at 4:30" -- in LA? Anywhere in the entire state of California? Anywhere in the USA or the world? Unless a curfew is imposed, people can (and they do) use the roads. There is probably even less reason to be on the road in Stockton than in LA, but some people are out there driving.
What are they doing? -- Going home, maybe, going to work. Going home from what? Private things maybe, or maybe just a late night hanging out with Brokies. -- I thought about this later, and even though I don't live in LA AND I lead a mostly boring conventional life,
even in the aughties there was ONE night when I was on the road at 4:30 a.m. in Los Angeles because of hanging out late with Brokies!