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VW rolled 600 feet
By Walt Walker
During our
regular monthly team meeting the pagers, a whole
chorus of them, notified us of a rescue mission.
We quickly adjourned the meeting, made some quick
plans, and off we went to pickup our personal
gear.
It was
reported that a VW van had gone off a backcountry
dirt road, rolled down 1,200 feet, and that there
were people trapped inside. We were all to meet
one mile north of Radec Junction. Brian Hixson
and John Dew, in the #1 van, were the first, RMRU
members to arrive at the roadhead. Kevin Walker
and I were next, quickly followed by Hal Fulkman
and Jim Fairchild. There were a number of other
groups, including Hemet Search & Rescue Team
members, also at the roadhead. We learned that
the van had gone off the road and rolled and
tumbled 600 feet down. The driver, a 16 year old
boy, had been ejected. He had been only slightly
injured and had gone for help. His 12 year
brother was pinned under the vehicle and was
dead.
After
discussing the situation, darkness, very steep
terrain, loose rock, brush and a very high fire
danger, it was decided to wait until morning to
remove the body. It was also decided that Pete
Boss and Lonnie Denny (HSAR) and Kevin Walker and
I would help in the morning. Another agency had
determined that the accident scene was in San
Diego County.
The next
morning, shortly before eight o'clock, quite a
group had formed. There was a California Division
of Forestry fire truck and rescue squad, a U. S.
Forest Service fire truck, a California Highway
Patrol four wheel drive and a deputy coroner from
San Diego County, a four wheel drive with Pete
Boss and Lonnie Denny and my four wheel drive
with Kevin and I. Plans were made and we drove
about five miles up a winding dirt road. Once at
the scene we began to get our gear ready. Then
the bad news came, upon carefully checking the
topo maps, we discovered the accident scene was
about one half mile into Riverside County. This
information was radioed out and we began a rather
long wait for a deputy coroner from Riverside
County.
By the time
the coroner arrived, we had a plan worked out and
were ready to go. We led the coroner to the
scene. He took care of the legal details and we
shoved the van off of the body. The body was
placed into a body bag, secured into the litter
and the 600 foot raise started. About 20 minutes
later, our part of the mission was completed. We
loaded up our gear and quietly headed for home.
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