Dog helps locate missing owner in California, disappears before crews can secure him
A missing Sonora woman was found safe late Sunday night after a multi-agency search effort led by the Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office, officials said Monday.
Barbara Crosby, 85, who had been missing since earlier in the weekend, was discovered asleep under brush near East Bald Mountain Road. The sheriff's office said the breakthrough came around 9 p.m. on Sunday, when residents in the area reported seeing a dog matching the description of Poncho, Crosby's pet.
Tuolumne County Search and Rescue (SAR) teams were already in the area following up on a tip about a possible sighting of Barbara. Deputies and SAR members spoke with several residents who had seen the dog earlier in the day, the sheriff's office said.
Just as search crews were planning operations for the following morning, the sheriff's office said another sighting was reported, this time providing a clear direction of travel for the dog.
Crews hiked down a steep embankment approximately 70 feet from the roadway, where they located Poncho hiding under some brush. A short distance away, they found Crosby, who was asleep on the ground.
Due to the rugged terrain and thick vegetation, the sheriff's office said rescuers "used a stokes litter and rope system" to bring Crosby safely back up to the road. She was then transferred to medics and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
While Crosby is now safe, her dog Poncho ran off before rescuers could secure him and may still be in the East Bald Mountain Road area. The sheriff's office urges the public to keep an eye out for Poncho.