Missing 70 Yr Old
June 10, 2025
Temecula – Dripping Springs Trail
2025-022
Written by: David Bever
RMRU was requested to assist with a search for a missing hiker at 1545hrs on 6/10/2025 in a remote, hilly area just east of Temecula, CA at the Dripping Springs trailhead. The reporting party (RP) indicated the subject, a 70-year-old male with Parkinsons, was unfamiliar with the area and left for a hike with no cell phone, water, or other supplies at approximately 1000hrs that morning.
Our first RMRU member arrived on scene to find RSO, CalFire and AMR on scene responding to an incident-within-the-incident as the RSO drone team spotted the wife of the subject, who hiked in to look for her husband, was struggling to walk on the trail. As CalFire was preparing to enter, the subject’s wife emerged from the trailhead and was treated for dehydration by AMR 427.
An RSO bloodhound was deployed up the Dripping Springs trail and advised they were on-track up to approximately 1 mile in where their dog tired and returned to base. As RMRU members arrived, David Bever assumed command and deployed two hasty teams – one up the Dripping Springs trail and the second up the Wildhorse trail. The teams were comprised of RMRU members and a CalFire firefighter to allow use of their radios. The Dripping Springs team was Rob, Dave Kosman and CalFire Firefighter Suhar. The Wildhorse team was David Altenburg, Kyleen, and CalFire Firefighter Kelly. Three Riverside Dog Rescue team members Kevin Powel, Mike De Lannoy and RMRU member Matt arrived and were also deployed up the Dripping Springs trail to pick up where the RSO bloodhound tired.
Additional RMRU members and the command van arrived. Team members Coby, Alex, and Stephanie along with Dog Team members Tina Brown and Max Shui began assisting with the establishment of the command van while others were preparing to be picked up and flown into higher ground to begin searching. At 1910hrs, the hasty team on the Dripping Springs trail indicated they had located the subject 2.9 miles in and at 1545 feet of elevation gain. The subject was laying on the trail, non-ambulatory and suffering from possible dehydration. RSQ-9 was able to respond and airlifted the subject to a landing zone established by CalFire E3166 across from the entrance to Vail Lake. The subject was transported by AMR 427 to Inland Valley Hospital with minor abrasions, lacerations, and possible dehydration.
RMRU Members involved: (Dave Altenburg, David Bever, Coby Brown, Alex Cochran, Matt Frenken, Kyleen Gonzalez, Shana Gutovich, Dave Kosmal, Rob Newton, and Stephanie Robertson)
Other Agencies Involved: (Riverside County Search Dogs, RSO Southwest, RSO Bloodhound, RSQ9, Cal Fire E3166 and Truck 73, and AMR 427)