Rescuer Meets Crash Victim Face to Face in Hospital

On Sunday, March 25, 2012, at approximately 7:45 pm, a female adult resident from Juniper Hills was driving on Angeles Forest Highway near mile marker 10.47 when she hit ice on the roadway which resulted in her vehicle sliding off the roadway.  The victim and her vehicle came to rest 350 feet over the edge, down a rugged hillside, and only after rolling over at least once.  When the victim was reported missing by her husband, the Montrose Search and Rescue Team, along with Antelope Valley Search and Rescue were activated and implemented a grid search for the driver at approximately 7:00 am Monday March 26th.   At approximately 9:30 am, Reserve Deputy Jason Johnson located recent tire marks in the snow which led up and over the snow-covered dirt berm.  Deputy Johnson then looked over the cliff and he saw a vehicle down the hillside which matched the description of the missing person’s white Ford pickup.  Deputy Johnson maneuvered his way down the rugged, snow covered hillside and located the victim who was outside of her vehicle and laying in the snow.  The victim was cold, wet and in critical condition and was given life-saving medical aid by Deputy Johnson.  Soon after, Reserve Deputies Cyndy Moyneur and Robert Sheedy, along with Sheriff’s Air 5 paramedics arrived and joined in providing life-saving medical attention.  Once the victim as stabilized, she was loaded into the rescue basket, where she was air lifted to Huntington Memorial Hospital.  The Victim was admitted in critical condition.

 

On Wednesday, April 4, 2012, at 2 pm, Reserve Deputy Johnson, Reserve Deputy Moyneur, and Reserve Deputy Janet Henderson visited the victim at her hospital bedside.  The victim’s condition has improved to the point that she will soon be transferred to another hospital for more follow up care.