Missing ATV rider found, rescued

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office received a call from the Lane County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue (SAR) Coordinator Aug. 10, requesting assistance in locating a female ATV rider missing in the area of Cummins Creek Ridge in Lane County.

The missing female was riding on the US Forest Service 58 Road with a family member before they became separated, and Lane County SAR was contacted.

The Cummins Creek Ridge area borders Lane County and Lincoln County, leading to the request for Lincoln County Search and Rescue (SAR). Lincoln County Sgt. Patrick Dougherty and Senior Deputy Bruce McGuire responded and while enroute learned that a local firefighter associated with the family had located the missing female down a very steep embankment through verbal contact only.

McGuire deployed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to gather additional information about the missing female’s location and condition.

“Due to the steep terrain, the Lincoln County Technical Rescue Team (TRT) was requested,” McGuire said. “After resources from Lane County SAR arrived, first responders navigated access to the missing female, finding that she had suffered an injury to her right leg that prevented her from hiking up the steep terrain. Lincoln County TRT arrived, provided medical care, and removed the female to an awaiting ambulance using a rope system.”

McGuire said that based on the remote location, a Life Flight helicopter arrived to pick up and transported the female to a medical facility in Corvallis for treatment.

The name of the female and where she was from was not immediately available.