TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

Mark Ponder, the real estate broker whose face has loomed above Bakersfield on billboards for years, was found dead in the Kern River Wednesday.

The 38-year-old's death is being treated as suspicious -- a routine classification whenever a body is pulled from the river and cause of death isn't obvious, said Detective Mary DeGeare of the Bakersfield Police Department.

An autopsy is scheduled Thursday morning. A coroner's release classified the case as an apparent drowning.

"I was shocked...just total shock," said Debbie Craig-Banducci, broker with RE/MAX Magic, who was in Las Vegas Wednesday evening at an industry gathering.

News of Ponder's death had traveled quickly from hotel to hotel among a contingent of Bakersfield attendees, she said.

"My phone and other people's phones have blown up" with calls and text messages, Craig-Banducci said.

Ponder was owner-broker of Westchester Realty at 2501 F St. Two agents worked under his license, state records indicate.

Karen Davenport, an agent with McKinzie Nielsen Real Estate Inc., was also shocked when she learned of Ponder's death while at a dinner party Wednesday night.

"It's quite stunning," she said. "He was a nice guy... . You hate that to happen to anyone."

Linda Vernon, chief executive of the Bakersfield Association of Realtors, said Ponder was a member but she declined to comment "out of respect for the family."

Police say a man was jogging around noon on the south side of the river, east of Manor Street, when he saw a body floating in the water.

He called 911, then used a stick to push the body to the river's edge to wait for emergency personnel.

County Search and Rescue members estimated the victim had been in the water 24-72 hours.

DeGeare said police will have a clearer idea of how to proceed with any investigation after the autopsy.

Ponder had been on local television news this week over allegations he'd recently thrown a beer bottle at another man.

The incident is being investigated by the Kern County Sheriff's Department. No updates were available Wednesday night.

Ponder had previous scrapes with the law, online court records show, beginning at least as early as

1990 and continuing through last year.

All charges filed against him were misdemeanors, including drunk driving-related charges and driving with a suspended license.

In 2003, one count of assault with a deadly weapon and one count of petty theft were dismissed.

Although he was sentenced more than once to serve time in county jail, it appears Ponder never remained more than a few days behind bars.

Ponder's real estate records indicate state regulators filed an administrative action against him in March. Details weren't available Wednesday night.