| Contact: |
Sergeant Bob Jozwiak
541-265-4277 x4938
rjozwiak@co.lincoln.or.us |
| Incident: |
Search and Rescue |
| Date Occurred: |
Nov 22, 2009 |
| Time Occurred: |
Approximately 11:35 am |
| Location: |
Northeast of Waldport, Drift Creek Area |
On 11/22/09 at approximately 10:45 AM Lincoln County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Members located two Lincoln county men who were reported lost in the area of Drift Creek off of May Road. John Mottner, 38 years of age of South Beach and Mike Dodson, 25 of Toledo both spent the night in extreme weather conditions after getting lost in darkness while elk hunting.
On 11/21/09 at approximately 9:45 PM LinCom Dispatch received information of two lost hunters in the Drift Creek area off of Bayview Road and May Road. This area is northeast of Waldport. Family reported they last had cell phone contact at 10:45PM on the 21st. The two subjects reported they were lost in the dark and could not find their way back to their vehicle. SAR coordinators Sergeant Bob Jozwiak and Deputy Bruce McGuire and Forest Deputy Gary Davey responded to the area. The hunter’s vehicle was located on a power line road off of May Rd. The weather conditions were too hazardous to attempt a night search. Dispatch reported winds gusting to 80 miles per hour in the area. Family in the area advised neither hunter was well equipped but they were building a fire. Attempts to recontact the hunters on their cell failed. It was decided to have Search and Rescue members respond to the area at first daylight in the morning. Deputy Davey spent his night with family at the hunter’s vehicle.
On 11/22/09 at 6:30 AM Sgt. Jozwiak and 6 volunteer members started back to the area. The team had to chain saw their way back into the area after the top of a large fir tree snapped off during the high winds and blocked the road. A temporary base was set up at the area the two hunters left from until the mobil command center arrived later in the morning with other SAR members to assist.
Sergeant Joziwiak reported these two men were very lucky. Neither was prepared when they left their vehicle. They did well during the night to keep a fire going to keep of the chill. When they were located, both very wet and cold. The night was windy with rain and hail into the morning. Temperatures dropped as low as 42 degrees. As a precaution both were checked by medical staff from South Lincoln Fire and Rescue. Neither required further medical assistance.
