CLASSIC CAR BUFF DIES IN COLLISION.

Byline: Teresa Jimenez Daily News Staff Writer

Mark Dees' merry spirit and passion for life were recalled Tuesday by neighbors saddened by the death Monday of their friend in a head-on traffic collision.

``He had just bought three trains and he was going to put tracks in around his property and have it run,'' said Bob Hallman, who owns an equestrian center across the street from Dees' horse-breeding ranch in Moorpark. ``But mainly his whole time was spent either working on his cars or his business. He spent more time with his cars, though.''

Dees had a barn full of classic cars and an assortment of locomotive parts, in addition to a law office on his ranch off Waters Road.

``He was a very nice person. He had a lot of friends in the area and everyone loved him,'' Hallman said. ``His hobby was cars - classics and American sports cars. He buys and sells them. He has a tremendous, big barn filled with cars.''

Police say Dees, 63, lost control of his black 1988 Pontiac Fiero on Highway 126, east of Piru, and swerved into oncoming traffic, colliding head-on with a green 1993 Ford Explorer. The driver, Susan Bertelsen, 32, of Santa Barbara, was treated for minor injuries and her mother, Judith Bertelsen, was treated for a broken ankle, officials said.

Susan's father, Phillip Bertelsen, 58, who was in the back seat, died of lacerations to the heart and chest trauma due to the impact, the Medical Examiner's Office report said. He and his wife were from Sanger, near Fresno.

Dees also died of heart lacerations and chest trauma, according to an autopsy report from the Ventura County Medical Examiner's Office.

Police said they found a pint bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey with the seal broken and a loaded .22-caliber handgun in Dees' car. Results of toxicology tests are pending.

Authorities were still investigating the collision Tuesday, trying to determine what caused Dees to swerve into the oncoming lane.

Dees' holiday greeting remained on his answering machine Tuesday, telling callers, ``Help! I can't answer the phone right now. I've been kidnapped by secret agents of a foreign power. They took me to an arctic hideaway and they're interrogating me about who's been naughty and who's been nice.''

Another neighbor described Dees, who lived by himself, as a gentleman who was always willing to help out.

``He was a very kind and generous guy,'' Ken Lowe said. ``He was a great guy.''

Dees had a lot of workers helping him with the ranch, and recently had bought a large motor home for them to stay in, Hallman said.

``Everyone here is very close. We all help each other and work with each other,'' Hallman said.

Dees' daughter recently had moved from a home next door to her father's to go to a chiropractic school in Pasadena, a neighbor said.