[LASD] – Members of the Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Search & Rescue team assisted the California Highway Patrol in locating the driver of a single-vehicle rollover collision that occurred Sunday afternoon on Highway 126 just east of the Ventura County line.

When Los Angeles County Fire and CHP personnel arrived on scene, they were told that the driver of the vehicle ran south across the road and into the fields along the highway. Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Search & Rescue personnel were able to locate blood and tracks from the driver on a dirt road. They were able to follow them to where they turned and went into the bushes along the Santa Clara River. The driver was located by Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Search & Rescue personnel hiding in the bushes. The driver was then turned over to the CHP for processing.

The Santa Clarita Search and Rescue Team is made up of highly trained individuals from all walks of life. Their backgrounds range from school teachers to contractors, from film directors to rocket scientists. Despite demanding day jobs, these team members form a cohesive unit which can respond to an emergency at a moment’s notice. The team also regularly goes on specialized patrol to assist in and promote wilderness recreation safety for the people of our community.

The Santa Clarita Valley Search and Rescue Team was first formed on the night of January 27, 1957 after the rescue of a boy in rugged Loop Canyon, located in the foothills north of Sylmar. Programs to acquire training and equipment for the group’s efficient operation were set up with special emphasis on first aid and mountain climbing techniques.

Today, that original group has been transformed into a highly trained, well-disciplined Search and Rescue team. Headquartered at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, the team is comprised of Reserve Deputies and high risk civilian volunteers. The team is on call and ready to respond 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The team is one of eight similar Search and Rescue teams in Los Angeles County.

For further information on the Santa Clarita Valley Search and Rescue Team please visit www.scvrescue.com.