gistfile1.txt

This code will give you the bug: 
ofSerial serial
void ofApp::setup(){
//this is the strange line. If I don't explicity call the ofSerial construtor all hell breaks loose. The error is Thread 1: EXC_BAD_ACCESS//(code=1, address 0xffffff4).   

    serial.listDevices();
    serial. setup(0, 9600);
}

void ofApp::update(){
    
    //This gets sent to arduino, calling for a new set of readings
    serial.writeByte('a');
    
    if(serial.available()){
        
        unsigned char bytesReturned[6]; //000 new line + null terminator
        
        memset(bytesReturned, 0, sizeof(bytesReturned));
        
        // This reads the data now that arduino is sending a response,
        serial.readBytes(bytesReturned, 5);
        //check the data to make sure the new line isn't doing weird stuff
        
        string serialData = (char*) bytesReturned;
        sensorPadValue = ofToInt(serialData);
        cout << sensorPadValue << endl;
        serial.flush();
    } 
}