Date Occurred: July 20, 2021
Released by: Deputy Aaron Myers, Assistant Search and Rescue Coordinator
Location: Smith Rock State Park
Person Assisted: Zazueta, Amanda 25 year old female, Simi Valley, CA
Person Assisted: Jaiswal, Prerna 43 year old female, San Jose, CA
Narrative:
On July 20, 2021 at approximately 1440 hours, 911 Dispatch received a call of an injured hiker, Amanda Zazueta, near the top of Misery Ridge trail at Smith Rock State Park. Redmond Fire personnel responded to Zazueta’s location and determined due to her injury, she was unable to make it down the trail without the assistance of a wheeled litter. Redmond Fire requested the assistance of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Volunteers to assist Zazueta down the trail in the wheeled litter.
12 DCSO SAR Volunteers responded to Smith Rock State Park to assist. At 1620 hours, 911 Dispatch received a call of a second injured hiker, Prerna Jaiswal, who was hiking on the Mesa Verde Trail. The 12 DCSO SAR Volunteers were still responding to Smith Rock State Park when this second incident occurred.
The DCSO SAR Volunteers arrived at 1625 hours and two Volunteers were able to walk to Jaiswal and begin an initial medical assessment of her condition. 6 SAR Volunteers continued up the trail to Zazueta’s location, while the rest of the SAR team assisted Jaiswal.
It was determined Jaiswal would also need to be assisted down the trail in a wheeled litter. DCSO SAR Volunteer used Redmond Fire’s wheeled litter and brought her 0.1 miles down the trail where she was taken across the river to waiting Redmond Fire medics who evaluated her further. Jaiswal was evaluated and released to family.
The six SAR Volunteers who continued up to Zazueta’s location were able to get her into the wheeled litter and began bringing her down the Mesa Verde Trail with the assistance of Redmond Fire. The six volunteers after assisting Jaiswal walked up and also assisted in bringing Zazueta down the trail. Zazueta was brought approximately ½ mile down the trail in the wheeled litter to the river crossing where she crossed to waiting Redmond Fire Personnel. Zazueta was evaluated and released to friends.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is a full service agency that oversees the adult jail, provides patrol, criminal investigations, civil process and search and rescue operations. Special units include SWAT, Marine Patrol, ATV Patrol, Forest Patrol, along with five K9 teams. Founded in 1916 and today led by your duly elected Sheriff L. Shane Nelson, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office serves over 200,000 residents in Deschutes County. The agency has 259 authorized and funded personnel, which includes 191 sworn employees who provide services to the 3,055 square miles of Deschutes County.
