Pit Stop Lost Person
December 27, 28, 29, and 30, 2025
Mountain Center, CA
2025-042
Written by: David Bever and Eric Holden
RMRU was requested to assist in the search for a subject that had been last seen on video camera on December 22, 2025, at the Pit Stop in Mountain Center. The subject was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a CHP traffic stop. RSO provided a courtesy ride to the Pit Stop gas station so he could make arraignments for friends or family to pick him up. Video surveillance recorded the subject leaving the Pit Stop on foot heading east bound on highway CA-74. The subject was reported missing two days later by his mother on December 24, 2025. On December 26, RSO tied the missing person report to the subject given a ride to the Pit Stop and RMRU was immediately requested to assist in the search.
Operational Period 1: (Day 5) began on the morning of December 27. David Bever assumed the role of Search Manager with RMRU members Dave Kosmal, William Pendleton performing a thorough search along a 7-mile stretch of roadway on CA-74 without success. A bloodhound tracked the subject from the point of origin about ½ mile to the entrance of the Santa Rosa Indian Reservation. RSO drone unit searched multiple areas in and around the Reservation entrance and adjacent trails. Riverside Search Dogs performed a detailed check on both sides of CA-74 just east of the Pit Stop.
Operational Period 2: (Day 6) began on the morning of December 28. David Bever continued in the role as Search Manager with RMRU members continuing the search from the Cahuilla Tewanet Vista Point eastbound on CA-74, 9 miles to the desert floor without success. In addition, an RSO drone again searched along the CA-74 roadway, switchbacks, and adjacent trails. Twelve RSO MED and Posse horses scoured potential trails, roadways, and open areas. A horse suffered minor injuries early in the search and left to receive medical care. A pair of citizens reported hearing a person moaning in a canyon below the Cahuilla Tewanet Vista Point. A search team was dispatched to the scene along with RSO RSQ9, and drone teams. The subject was not found.
Operational Period 3: (Day 7) began on the morning of December 29. Dave Bever continued as the Search Manager with Eric Holden as Operations Chief. RMRU members were deployed to continue the search for Daniel. Riverside Search Dog team and RSO DSAR team members joined the search. Areas were expanded to explore feasible alternative routes between the CA-74 switchbacks, a canyon off one of the switchbacks with a hazardous waterfall, and additional teams were sent back to the canyon where citizens reported a moaning individual during OP2 for further exploration. A searcher suffered a minor medical emergency, was evaluated by Cal Fire E67 and sent home for the day.
Operational Period 4: (Day 8) began on the morning of December 30. Mutual Aid was requested from CalOES. Eric Holden took over as Search Manager with Shani McCull and Eric worked the coms van and managed the deployment of multiple teams coming in from out of county. RMRU Members Solan and William would head out into the field to work with the Riverside County Search Dogs and look near the subjects Point Last Seen.
Montrose, Altadena, Orange County, and Sierra Madre all came out to assist with the search for Daniel. In all we had about 30 volunteer rescuers for this operational period. Today we concentrated much of our resources on the canyons that come off the main highway. We also covered some of the gaps in areas searched during the first few operational periods.
In the afternoon, as teams completed their assignments and began to return to base, we received word that hikers had found the subject alive and in need of help. He was found about 10 miles from his point last seen and about 1 mile outside of the areas we had searched. Rescue 9 helicopter was activated and was able to lower a rescue technician to the subject. All the volunteer teams waited at base listening to the radio in case they were unable to hoist the subject out. Thankfully Rescue 9 was able to hoist him out and transferred him to an ambulance waiting nearby and then to a hospital.
RMRU would like to thank all the teams that came out to Riverside County for assisting with this search. We were glad about the outcome of this mission. The subject survived 8 days of being in the desert. We wish him a speedy recovery.
RMRU Members involved: (David Altenburg, David Bever, Alex Cochran, Nathaniel Desforges, Shana Gutovich, Glenn Henderson, Eric Holden, Dave Kosmal, Shani McCullough, William Pendleton, Raymond Weden, and Solan Watts)
Other Agencies Involved: (RSO Mountain Station patrol deputies, RSO Aviation, RSO Drone Team, RSO Mounted Enforcement Detail (MED), RSO Posse volunteers, RSO Dog Team, RSO DSAR, Montrose SAR, Altadena SAR, Orange County SAR and Sierra Madre SAR, Cal Fire, and AMR)