From the Office of the Sheriff Sheriff Dennis L. Dotson

For Immediate Release

NEWS RELEASE

Date: March 31, 2008

Summary:

On March 29, 2008 at approximately 8:30pm, the Lincoln County 911 Communications Center (Lincom) received a report of three missing teenage boys in the Rose Lodge area. 19 year old Victor I. Pahl, 18 year old William I. Holmes and a 17 year old juvenile reportedly left a residence on Sundown Drive in the Rose Lodge area at about 5:30pm to hike up into the snow south of Boulder Creek Drive; an area located approximately six miles east of Lincoln City, Oregon. At approximately 8:30pm, Pahl contacted a relative using a cell phone to report they were cold and stuck in the snow. Shortly after the initial report, Lincom received a 911 call from one of the hikers who reported they were stuck in deep snow and that one of them had lost their shoes and was walking barefoot.

Lincoln County Sheriff's Deputies responded to the area along with emergency responders from North Lincoln Fire & Rescue and PacWest Ambulance. Searchers began canvassing the area based on the directions Lincom obtained from the 911 call from the hikers. Due to the near freezing weather and hazardous road conditions in the area, searchers were limited in their travel abilities. North Lincoln Fire & Rescue deployed an ATV and a snowmobile to assist with the search. The United States Coast Guard responded to provide aerial support. The R.E.A.C.H helicopter responded to the area for transport assistance.

At approximately 11:09pm, the subjects were located by the snowmobile search party approximately 2.5 miles south of Boulder Creek Drive on a forest road. All three subjects were conscious and coherent. The subjects were transported down to Boulder Creek Drive and released to PacWest Ambulance personnel who were staged in the area. They were then transported to Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital in Lincoln City for treatment of hypothermic symptoms.

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