YCSO SEARCH AND RESCUE UNITS AND JEEP POSSE VOLUNTEERS HAVE BUSY WKND

Published on March 06, 2023

YCSO SEARCH AND RESCUE UNITS AND JEEP POSSE VOLUNTEERS HAVE BUSY WEEKEND

PRESCOTT ARIZONA (March 6, 2023) –The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue (SAR) units and Jeep Posse volunteers endured a busy weekend successfully locating a Prescott Valley resident that had become stuck in the snow while looking for her husband and two sons in the Crown King area, locating and rescuing the husband and sons who had been stranded for approximately 11 hours, as well as the retrieval of a deceased person that was otherwise unobtainable by YCSO Deputies. 

On the morning of March 5th, a woman called in to report that her husband and two sons had left home on the morning prior headed to Bumblebee in their Jeep. After texting his wife at around 9pm that he was stuck “near a cabin” in the Crown King area, attempts to ping the husband’s and one of the son’s phones gave coordinates off of Wagoner Rd. east of Hwy. 89. On her way out to find her husband and sons, she also got stuck.

Members of the YCSO 4x4, Jeep Posse and Southern SAR units were called out to assist. One group went in from Hwy. 89 to check the husband’s coordinates, while two other teams went in from Mayer and located the woman (along with her teenage son and two friends) who had become stuck in deep snow on Senator Highway, north of Mayer. They were brought out and taken home. About a mile north of the wife’s truck, they were able to locate the husband and two young sons in their Jeep, who were brought out safely having stayed warm in their running vehicle.

Also on Sunday, March 5, YCSO Detectives responded to a call from the Cross-Y Ranch who reported the startling discovery of a dead body located on the ranch. The body was found underneath a large four-legged power pole in an area that is only accessible by a side-by-side vehicle or horse from within the ranch. SAR and Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) units were called out to assist due to the need to cross a deep creek and climb the mountain trail to get to and from the scene safely. There is no suspicion of foul play currently.  This is under investigation and further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

“Our all-volunteer Search and Rescue, 4x4 and Jeep Units have yet again shown how vital they are to our agency,” said Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes.  “Because of the often impassable for patrol vehicle areas of our county, our volunteer forces quite literally make the difference between life and death, and in the case of calls like the one at Cross-Y Ranch, bring home a missing loved-one to a grieving family.”