The San Benito County Search and Rescue Team (SAR) and ACS/RACES, the Auxiliary Communications Service/Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service Team, helped locate hikers that had been reported as overdue early Saturday morning in the Clear Creek Management Area off of Coalinga Road in southern San Benito County.
On approximately 3 a.m., San Benito County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched after the family of the hikers called with a concern the couple had not yet returned to their hotel in Coalinga and they were not answering their phone.
“The hikers, following a very smart protocol, had left copies of their Clear Creek use permit, planned route, personal photos, photo of their truck and photo of their license plate with family in case they became injured or lost,” the Sheriff’s Office noted in a press release. These items were given to the deputies and soon after, a call went out to SAR and ACS/RACES teams. Both teams mobilized immediately and began to assemble their gear for a response to Clear Creek.
Ahead of the teams were Sergeant Adam Lobdell and Deputy Breyon Canez, who were working patrol and responded directly to the scene. Upon arrival, they began what is called a “hasty search” along the path believed to have been traveled by the missing couple. Approximately four miles into the park, the deputies located the couple just off the roadway. Their Ford F-350 had slid off the dirt road and was stuck in a sizeable rut. They had been stuck there since approximately 10 p.m. the previous night.
The deputies were able to use a “winch” affixed to a Sheriff’s Office Dodge Ram 4×4 truck, to pull the couple to safety. The deputies followed the couple out to Coalinga Road by way of Clear Creek Road and the couple then made their return trip to San Francisco via Coalinga.
The couple, along with their dog, had survived the night in their truck, according to the Sheriff’s Office. They had packed supplies in case they were stranded.
“The temperature in Clear Creek on the night/morning of the 24th/25th got down to nearly 25 degrees,” the report said. “They had a safety plan in place they shared with family. The San Benito County Sheriff’s Office encourages all to do the same in the event you are going to hike/camp/hunt/spend time in our open spaces in San Benito County. Have a plan, supplies and always let family or friends know where you are going.
“The San Benito County Sheriff’s Office has a dedicated, all-volunteer Search and Rescue/ACS/RACES Team that is ready to deploy at a moment’s notice,” the news release said. “Our team is invaluable to our community.”
Anybody with information on this, or any other case, is asked to call our anonymous tip-line at 831-636-4084 or the Detective Bureau at 831-636-4080.