Undersheriff Jim Yon reports search and rescue efforts are continuing today in the search for missing hiker Sanford Rice. The Linn County Sheriff’s Office and its numerous partners have been searching the area since Friday and have not located any signs of him.
Today is going to be the last full day of searching before scaling back our efforts. We have four teams still in the area targeting specific locations and will continue to check areas when new information comes to light.
We have had unbelievable assistance from Eugene Mountain Rescue, Corvallis Mountain Rescue, Mountain Wave Communications, Lane County Sheriff’s Office, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office , Oregon Civil Air Patrol, and Oregon Air National Guard. Without these groups assistance, we would not have been able to search the area as well as it has. From air assets to K9’s, everyone involved has made a concerted effort to locate Rice.
Please give the Rice family their needed space and privacy during this difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their family.
——————————————————————————-
Linn County Undersheriff Jim Yon reports the Linn County County Sheriff’s Office received a call yesterday at 1:40 pm about a missing hiker, Sanford David Rice, 75 years of age from Blachly Oregon, in the Marion Lakes area off Hwy 22. The caller reported Rice went for a day hike in the area and did not return home.
The Sheriff’s Office sent deputies to the Marion Lake Trail head to look for him. They were able to locate his vehicle and entry receipts indicating he was doing a day hike. Deputies spoke with several hikers in the area and learned Rice had been last seen nearMarion Lake.
The Sheriff’s Office also sent a Hasty Team to the area to start searching. They searched the area all night. In the morning, six members from the Linn County Mounted Posse responded to the area and began to search the area. Linn County SAR has 12 members searching the area on foot. Oregon Civil Air Patrol joined the search this morning and was conducting an air search.
The Sheriff’s Office is requesting assistance from other SAR groups from around the region to continue the search.