Chumash Wilderness--On August 7, the Ventura County Sheriff ’s Office Search and Rescue (SAR) Teams located and aided a 78-year-old missing hiker near Sawmill Mountain in the Chumash Wilderness area of Ventura County.
AT approximately 3 p.m. August 5, Ventura County Sheriff ’s Dispatch received a 911 transfer from the Kern County Sheriff ’s Office.
Initial reports were that Balaji Keshava had been hiking with a group of individuals when he was somehow separated from the group near Grouse Mountain after losing the trail in Ventura County. Dispatchers were able to determine Balaji’s general location using information gathered from the cell phone call he placed after dialing 911.
Immediately thereafter, members of the Ventura County Sheriff ’s Office SAR Teams were activated and responded to the area of Cerro Noroeste, where they located a trailhead. Due to the close proximity to the Kern County line, a Kern County Sheriff ’s Office helicopter assisted with the initial aerial search. Ventura County SAR members searched throughout the evening, Saturday, August 5, and continued non-stop during the night. A Ventura County Aviation Unit helicopter, equipped with a FLIR camera, also responded.
SAR team members continued throughout Sunday, August 6, hiking for several…
