Sedona AZ (September 24, 2015) – Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies and its Search and Rescue unit responded to over 36 search and rescue calls in the first 23 days of September. The calls covered an area from southern Utah to the Mogollon Rim in Arizona.

Calls may require a search and rescue unit response or a Coconino County Sheriff’s Office patrol to locate lost or missing persons in an area. By state statute, the CCSO and its Search and Rescue Unit are responsible for all search and rescue events in the county, and that response regularly draws upon assistance from other agencies that willingly cooperate and share resources.

The September Search and Rescue events were kicked off with a busy Labor Day weekend during which time CCSO responded to over a dozen search and rescue calls. Most of the Labor Day weekend calls are recapped here with the addition of new information. Following the holiday weekend recap, there are summaries of search and rescue calls throughout September 2015:

Friday, September 4, 2015

At 12:48 in the afternoon, CCSO and its Search and Rescue unit, Department of Public Safety officers and the Department of Public Safety Air Rescue helicopter based in Flagstaff, responded to the report of an armed 18 year old male who exited a vehicle driven by family on State Route 89A and ran into the forest in Oak Creek Canyon. The male had made earlier statements in the day indicating that he may be suicidal. Deputies searched area businesses, trailheads, and roads looking for the individual. DPS, Cottonwood Police Department and the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office were also provided a description of the 18 year old and asked to assist in the search. After an extensive search, the subject was located after a citizen reported seeing him walking along State Route 89A.

Saturday, September 5, 2015

At 11:54 in the morning, CCSO, CCSO Search and Rescue, U.S. Forest Service, DPS Air Rescue out of Flagstaff, and the Forest Lakes Fire Department, responded to a report of a man, 64, and a girl, 6, who were overdue from an ATV ride off of FS169 in the area of Woods Canyon Lake, west of Forest Lakes. The two were located by DPS Air Rescue at 4:18 p.m. and ground units were guided to their location approximately 0.36 miles south of the camp. They were led by ground units to their camp; neither was injured. They had become disoriented and were lost in the forest.

At 1:23 p.m. CCSO and U.S. Forest Service responded to a report of two adults and two teenagers overdue from an ATV ride on the Kaibab National Forest, near Perkinsville Road. While deputies were enroute, Forest Service employees located the missing persons.

At 7:11 p.m., CCSO, CCSO Search and Rescue, and DPS Air Rescue based in Flagstaff, responded to a report of an overdue 59 year old male hiker on Humphreys Trail. The overdue man had intentionally separated from his son at approximately 5:30 p.m. as he was hiking slowly. When he did not arrive at the vehicle as expected, his son called 911 to report him overdue. During a break in the thunderstorms, DPS Air Rescue was able to fly over the area and located the man at about 10:20 p.m. The hiker lost the trail after dark and finally sat down and waited for several hours. The DPS helicopter was able to spot the hiker’s light and Search and Rescue personnel walked in and assisted the subject down the mountain. He was off-trail in the Snowbowl Ski Area approximately 0.9 miles east of the trail head. He did not request any medical treatment and was reunited with his son.

At 8:59 p.m., CCSO responded to a call about eight overdue hikers who had been hiking all day on the West Fork Trail. The call was cleared when the group was located by others in their party.

Sunday, September 6, 2015

At 1:26 p.m., CCSO and CCSO Search and Rescue responded to an ATV accident at Pink Bowl in the Cinder Hills OHV area of Flagstaff. The ATV rider was killed when he rolled his ATV. The area was difficult to access due to the deep cinders. Deputies and Search and Rescue personnel were able to reach the deceased victim with an off road vehicle and recovered his body for transport to the medical examiner.

At 3:18 p.m., CCSO Search and Rescue, Sedona Fire, DPS Air Rescue from Kingman, and Yavapai County Sheriff’s Helicopter responded to a report of a 50 year old man stranded off the AB Young Trail in Oak Creek Canyon. Cell contact with the individual revealed he was not in need of medical attention, but was unable to navigate the terrain. The YCSO helicopter crew located the subject by air and guided ground crews to his location. Rescue efforts required use of a rope hand line to stabilize the individual as he was assisted down the canyon walls back to the AB Young Trail. DPS Air Rescue also assisted by providing light along the trail as rescuers escorted him back to the trail head. He was evaluated by medics and refused medical treatment. The subject was then reunited with his family.

At 7:00 p.m., CCSO responded to a report of a man who had been absent from his family campsite for over three hours. The subject was on his dirt bike riding in the Cinder Hills OHV area. Deputies patrolled the area looking for the overdue person. The man made his way to Leupp Road where he used someone’s phone to contact his family and advise them of his location.

Monday, September 7, 2015

At 1:15 in the afternoon, a CCSO deputy patrolling the Mormon Lake area received a report of two women overdue at their campsite after taking a ride from two unknown subjects on a UTV. The reporting party also called the information into dispatch. Deputies patrolled forest service roads and after following up with the reporting party learned that the two women had returned safely.

At noon, CCSO and CCSO Search and Rescue Heli-Rescue personnel assisted Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office and DPS Air Rescue with a technical rescue of an injured climber on Granite Mountain in the Prescott area. The person was injured when he fell and was impaled by an Agave plant. Rescuers rendered first aid to the victim and short hauled him with the helicopter to a waiting ambulance. He was transported to a local area hospital for treatment.

At 12:42 p.m., CCSO, CCSO Search and Rescue, U.S. Forest Service (law enforcement and fire personnel) and DPS Air Rescue based in Phoenix, responded to a report of a 10 year old overdue from an ATV ride near his campsite in the Sawmill Springs area, about 10 miles south of Mormon Lake. The boy was camping in the area with his family when he left for an ATV ride. When the boy didn’t return, the family searched for him, finding the ATV abandoned for no apparent reason. Responding searchers learned the boy was with an 18 year old male when he rode out of camp, information not shared earlier by the reporting party due to a language barrier. At 3:21 p.m., DPS Air Rescue from Phoenix located the two males in good condition, approximately three miles away, when they walked out of the forest onto a forest service road. Ground searchers transported both back to camp. Neither required medical attention.

At 12:51 p.m., CCSO and CCSO Search and Rescue responded to a report from a woman that her husband and two sons, ages 5 and 3-1/2, were overdue from a hike on the Kachina Trail on the San Francisco Peaks. Deputies and SAR units responded quickly and found the three had become turned around on the trail. Searchers identified their location and escorted them off the trail and back to the trail head where they were reunited with family members.

At 3:50 p.m., CCSO responded to a report that a man and woman were overdue from their campsite near the Lava Tubes. Deputies patrolled forest service roads in the area. Approximately an hour later the reporting party called to advise that both people had returned to the camp safely.

Thursday, September 10, 2015

At 7:07 in the evening, CCSO responded to a man lost in the forest near the Mormon Lake area. The responding deputy located the individual and assisted him in getting back to his vehicle.

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Just after midnight, CCSO received a report of a hunter separated from the rest of his hunting party. The call was cleared within a few minutes when the party called back advising they were reunited.

At 8:00 in the morning, CCSO received a report of an overdue party last known to be in the area of FS7 and FS124 roads. The person was reported overdue by one day. While a deputy was enroute, the call was cleared within a few minutes when the reporting party advised the person was no longer overdue.

At 11:52 in the morning, CCSO responded to a call that a family, including 10 and 15 year old daughters, had become disoriented while hiking the Cookstove Trail. A deputy located the lost family and escorted them back to their campsite at Pine Flats Campground.

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Around noon, CCSO received a report of an elderly female who had not been seen at her campsite in Forest Lakes for over a day and night. The report was made by a concerned person who was camping near the woman. While the deputy was enroute, the call was cleared when the reporting party called back advising the woman had returned. Medics continued to respond to evaluate any possible medical conditions.

On this same day, CCSO received a report of a 34 year old woman missing from her campsite in the Blue Ridge area. The reporting party cancelled his request for assistance and advised he found his wife walking near the highway as he drove roads looking for her.

At 6:43 in the evening, CCSO received a report of a woman camping at Cave Springs Campground who was expected back on Thursday. The responding deputy and camp host were able to locate the woman and have her contact the reporting party.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

At 3:30 in the afternoon, CCSO responded to a report of 31 year old woman hiking alone in the Red Mountain area who was lost. The hiker was near the end of her cell phone battery life, but managed to text a friend. The hiker apparently was able to find her way back to her car and the responding deputy checked her welfare when he saw her vehicle.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

At 10:14 in the morning, CCSO and CCSO Search and Rescue responded to a report from the Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service of overdue hikers in the Paria Canyon. Due to flooding in the area, Park Service Rangers and the family were concerned the hikers had not returned or signed out on the trail log sheets. Interviews of other hikers coming out of the area gave reports of high water and flooding. Deputies located the hikers’ vehicles at the trail heads, confirming the hikers had not left the area. CCSO coordinated the search and received assistance from DPS Air Rescue based in Kingman. The overdue hikers were spotted by the helicopter crew on the afternoon of September 17, picked up, and transported via helicopter to Lees Ferry. Short on supplies, they were delayed due to the floods.

At 10:58 in the morning, CCSO and CCSO Search and Rescue responded to a second report of overdue hikers in the Paria Canyon Area. A vehicle parked outside of the camping and trail head area was found to be registered to an Indiana woman with a permit to hike the canyon. Follow up by deputies revealed that the hiking party had parked another vehicle at the Lees Ferry end of the trail. DPS Air Rescue assisted in the search and located the hikers. The hikers declined assistance because they were near the end of their hike.

On Wednesday September 16, eleven CCSO Search and Rescue personnel assisted the Mohave County (AZ) Sheriff’s Office and the Washington County (UT) Sheriff’s Office in the search for flood victims in Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona.

At 8:30 p.m., CCSO responded to a male camping off FS 535 who had become lost while using his GPS. The responding deputy was able to locate the man and escort him to his campsite.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

At 11:11 the previous night, CCSO and CCSO Search and Rescue responded to a missing 41 year old elk hunter in the area east of Ashurst Lake. The hunter was last seen predawn that morning and failed to show up at a meeting spot at 7:00 p.m. The responding deputy tracked the missing hunter for awhile, then DPS Ranger from Kingman and additional searchers continued to look from that point. Around 5:30 in the morning, the missing person was located. He had become disoriented and sought shelter in a vacant camp of other hunters.

At 1:50 p.m., CCSO responded to a report of a 68 year old man camping in the Forest Lakes area. The man’s wife had received a call from her husband saying he had become ill while hiking. The deputy located him and the Crystal Creek Fire Department provided medical attention.

At 6:45 in the evening, CCSO Search and Rescue assisted Flagstaff Fire and Guardian Medical with the rescue of a 29 year old man injured while climbing in an area known as the “Pit” located off Lake Mary Road. The victim was transported to a Flagstaff Medical Center with minimal chest, head, and arm injuries.

At 9:14 in the evening, CCSO responded to a report of an overdue hunter in the Happy Jack area. The responding deputy was able to locate the hunter at his camp and check his welfare.

Saturday, September 19, 2015

At 10:17 a.m., CCSO responded to a report of two 12 year olds missing from a campground in the Forest Lakes area. The two were located without incident.

At 11:08 a.m., CCSO, CCSO Search and Rescue and DPS Air Rescue out of Kingman, responded to a report of a 40 year old woman with a possible broken ankle on the Humphreys Peak Trail. Search and Rescue personnel hiked to the victim and assisted her to the Humphreys Peak saddle. The DPS helicopter landed there, picked up the victim, and transported her to the Flagstaff Medical Center.

At 12:39 p.m., CCSO, CCSO Search and Rescue, Guardian Medical and a U.S. Forest Service fire crew responded to a report of a 50 year old woman with a possible broken ankle while hiking Red Mountain, northwest of Flagstaff. Rescuers hiked to the victim and assisted her down the mountain. The victim refused further medical care once at the trail head.

At 4:15 p.m., CCSO, CCSO Search and Rescue, two DPS Air Rescue helicopters (one from Kingman that evening and one from Flagstaff the next morning), Sedona Fire, and Guardian Medical responded to a 51 year old man who had fallen into a steep drainage while hiking the Wilson Mountain Trail in Oak Creek Canyon. Sedona Fire personnel reached the victim first and determined he had a fractured pelvis. Due to nightfall, the victim could not be removed by helicopter, so Sedona Fire personnel stayed with the victim overnight after supplies were dropped to them by the DPS helicopter. On the morning of 9/20/15, a CCSO Heli-Rescue Technician rappelled to the scene and the victim was short hauled to the Slide Rock parking lot. The man was then transported to Flagstaff Medical Center.

Around 12:30 p.m., CCSO deputies and CCSO Search and Rescue responded to a report of a vehicle abandoned in a trail head parking lot on the north side of the San Francisco Peaks. Registration of the vehicle linked it to two missing persons out of Flagstaff. Searchers conducted a general search of the area, but did not locate the missing persons. Detectives also searched the vehicle looking for clues as to the missing persons’ whereabouts.

Sunday, September 20, 2015

At 2:00 a.m., CCSO responded to the report of a 27 year old woman who was supposed to be visiting friends hunting in Unit 10, west of State Route 64, but she never arrived. Deputies checked with surrounding agencies regarding possible accidents or contact with the person or her vehicle. A deputy eventually was able to get in touch with the missing person via phone.

At 4:37 p.m., CCSO and CCSO Search and Rescue responded to a call of a female hiker distressed because of a fear of heights. She was part of a group hiking Humphreys Peak. The call was cleared when the reporting party texted back advising that the woman was back on the trail and no longer in need of assistance.

At 10:41 p.m., CCSO and CCSO Search and Rescue responded to overdue motorcyclists call. They had been spending the day on the Coconino National Forest, near Flagstaff, and were unfamiliar with the area. The deputy was able to eventually track down the location of each of the riders as they had become separated, some ending up off Lake Mary Road and another by Munds Park.

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

At 8:45 in the morning, CCSO responded to a report of an overdue 40 year old man who had been boating with a friend at Lake Powell. The overdue party returned later to his home than expected, and indicated that his plans had simply changed.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

CCSO and CCSO Search and Rescue, including two dog teams, continued search efforts at the Abineau/Bear Jaw Trail for two missing persons who had left information about their intended suicides. The vehicle of one of the missing was found at the trail head by the U.S. Forest Service on 9/19/15. At that time, Search and Rescue conducted an initial search of the area. During the follow up search, the two were found deceased by gunshot wound; no foul play is suspected, but investigation is still ongoing. The missing persons were Ashley Darby and Jeriah Hildwine.

The SedonaEye.com thanks CCSO Commander Rex Gilliland and staff for cooperating with this article.