Sheriff's Department conducts three successful searches in two days

The Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Department successfully located three missing people over the weekend, including a three year old found sleeping in his parents’ bed, an injured hiker on Mt. Shasta and a man that didn’t return from a woodcutting trip in the Hawkinsville-Humbug area.

On Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013 at about 11:30 a.m., the department received a report of a missing three year-old child. who reportedly walked away from a residence in the Mt. Shasta area, said Siskiyou County Sheriff’s spokesperson Allison Giannini.

The child’s parents, along with friends, family, and neighbors had searched the residence and neighborhood looking for the child, Giannini said.

Deputies and California Highway Patrol officers responded to the scene and assisted with the search.

The child was eventually located in good health, sleeping in his parents’ bed, hidden from sight underneath blankets, Giannini said.

At about noon on Saturday, Sheriff’s dispatch received a 9-1-1 report of an injured hiker on Mt. Shasta.

A 25 year-old San Jose resident was climbing the mountain when he injured his left leg after his foot was caught between several rocks, Giannini said. The climber was in great pain and was unable to move from his location.

Using coordinates given from the cellular phone signal, the climber’s location was pinpointed along Sergeant’s Ridge at an elevation of 11,500 feet.

Siskiyou County Sheriff Office Search and Rescue personnel, a United States Forest Service climbing Ranger, and a CHP helicopter responded to Bunny Flat, Giannini said. Utilizing a snowmobile, the climbing ranger was able to drive up the mountain a substantial distance through the old Ski Bowl area. He then hiked the rest of the way to the injured hiker’s location, Giannini said.

The hiker was then hoisted into the CHP helicopter and flown to safety. He was examined, treated and eventually released from Mercy Medical Center Mt. Shasta, said Giannini.

On Monday, Jan. 21, at about 7 a.m., the department received a report from a woman reporting that her husband did not return home from a woodcutting trip the prior day in the Hawkinsville-Humbug area, an area northwest of Yreka, said Giannini.

The woman said while traveling through deep snow, their truck got stuck in the and the couple was unable to extricate the vehicle.

Due to poor cell phone reception in that area, the wife walked from Humbug Road to Highway 263 where she was picked up by a relative, Giannini said. She and the relative went back to help her husband but he was no longer at the location and the pick-up was gone.

After several hours of exhaustive searching with a special Sno-Cat vehicle Search and Rescue personnel located the missing man and his pick-up, which had been immobilized in deep snow and the driver spent the night in the vehicle.

The lost subject was otherwise in good health despite cold temperatures encountered during the night, Giannini said.

The man was returned home and arrangements were made to retrieve the vehicle a later time.

“This weekend was a busy weekend but we are pleased that all of the people we searched for were successfully rescued and returned to their families,” said Siskiyou County Sheriff Jon Lopey. “I would like to take this opportunity to remind the public to always be prepared for winter conditions when traveling. Always plan your trips, carry emergency supplies, including any prescribed medication in case they are needed, warm clothing and blankets, extra food, water, flashlight, and a reliable means of communication. Always advise relatives or friends where you are going, what route you are going to take and what time you plan to return.”

Lopey also thanked the deputies, SAR volunteers and other personnel from the USFS, CHP for assisting with the rescue operations.