Released by: Deputy Aaron Myers, Assistant Search and Rescue Coordinator
Date: 03/23/2021
Location: Forest Service Road 9710, south of Bend, east of Highway 97
Assisted: Beal, Michael, 44 years old, Bend, Oregon
Assisted: Juvenile family member
On March 23, 2021, at approximately 1820 hours, 911 Dispatch received a call from Michael Beal who reported he was stuck in the snow near forest service road 9710, south of Bend, east of Highway 97. Beal reported he was with a juvenile family member and requested assistance getting back to town.
At 2000 hours, two Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Volunteers departed the Search and Rescue Office to assist the Beal’s. The SAR volunteers drove down the forest service road as far as they could safely do so and then unloaded the ARGO, a tracked vehicle.
The SAR Volunteers traveled approximately 5.5 miles in the ARGO, arriving at the Beal’s stuck vehicle at approximately 2110 hours. The Beal’s were taken back into Bend.
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 six 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.
