Elderly Man Missing on Off-Road Trail
A 70-year-old man has been missing since Friday after walking away from his group while on an off-road trail in California, authorities said. Warren Elliott was last seen on the Rubicon Trail in Placer County on Friday afternoon, according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.
Group Activity Turns to Concern
Elliott was a passenger in his son’s Jeep and was with a group performing trail rehab in preparation for an upcoming Jeep jamboree, the sheriff’s office stated. He walked away and has not been seen or heard from since, the sheriff’s office reported on Monday. Initially, the sheriff’s office indicated that Elliott went missing after taking his Jeep out on the trail. Further information clarified the circumstances of his disappearance.
Description and Last Known Appearance
Elliott was last seen wearing a blue short-sleeve shirt and blue denim shorts. The sheriff’s office released a photo on Tuesday showing Elliott in those clothes, along with a hat he had left behind. The Placer County Sheriff’s Office released this photo of Warren Elliott taken on the day he went missing.
Multi-Agency Search Operation
Searchers from multiple agencies and organizations are involved in the search, according to the sheriff’s office.The search for Elliott continued on Tuesday, with 48 trained searchers deployed, the sheriff’s office stated. “This is a very technical search, in tough terrain,” the sheriff’s office noted on Monday. “It can be dangerous for those who are not highly trained with the right equipment.”
Helicopter Assistance
More search teams were being transported to the area by California and Nevada National Guard Blackhawk helicopters due to the difficulty of accessing the area.
Large-Scale Search and Rescue Operation
On Monday, about 50 searchers, including two drone operators and four dog teams, were involved in the search, the sheriff’s office reported. More than 100 searchers were involved in the search and rescue operation on Sunday, the sheriff’s office stated. The Rubicon Trail is an approximately 22-mile-long route near Lake Tahoe that features a popular off-highway vehicle trail.
References:
ABC News – https://abcnews.go.com/US/placer-county-rubicon-trail-missing-jeeper/story?id=112166240
Yahoo – https://www.yahoo.com/news/search-underway-70-old-california-170137546.html?guccounter=1
