When will the statute of limitations be tolled as to claims against an absent defendant?

Plaintiffs, citing Dew v. Appleberry, 23 Cal.3d 630, 153 Cal.Rptr. 219, 591 P.2d 509, point out that the statute of limitations will be tolled as to claims against an absent defendant even though the defendant is amenable to service during his period of absence, and, therefore, the fact that an agent for service of process has been designated by a partnership is irrelevant to the issue of the tolling of the statute of limitations. This principle may be applicable after it is established that a defendant was absent from the state. It does not mean, however, that we must ignore the fact that the use of a designated agent for service is a characteristic akin to entities and not individuals in determining how the partnership is to be viewed.