TCSO Provides New Details On Watson And Avila Searches

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Tuolumne County, CA — Two successful search and rescue operations were carried out last week and the Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office is providing some additional insight into the incidents.

The first search started on Monday morning when 41-year-old John Avila of Modesto went missing in the heavily forested Cottonwood Road area. Searchers responded and could not locate him that first day, so additional mutual aid resources were requested. On Tuesday, over 40 Search and Rescue (SAR) personnel from five agencies looked for him along roadways, trails and throughout the forest.

The sheriff’s office states in a recap provided, “Avila was located Tuesday afternoon by SAR personnel approximately a mile and a half from the location of his truck along a very brushy area of Basin Creek. Searchers cut a trail through the brush and assisted Avila out of the creek and up the steep hillside where he was taken by ambulance to the hospital.”

As that search was concluding, SAR members were diverted to a new report that came in, 64-year-old Beth Watson of Tuolumne County had gone missing near Lyons Reservoir while taking a walk with her German Shepherd, Merle. 30 SAR personnel were on the scene that first afternoon combing through the area, and when she wasn’t located, more out-of-county resources responded, including air support, for Wednesday. After spending another day searching, with no sign of her, additional aid was requested. By Thursday, 80 SAR personnel, from 15 agencies, were involved. They were utilizing electric bikes, Off-Highway Vehicles, and a helicopter.

The sheriff’s office adds, “Just after 3 pm (Thursday), searchers located Watson’s dog, Merle, after hearing a distressed bark in a brushy area. SAR personnel and resources were diverted to the area. Approximately two hours later, a SAR trailing dog team found Watson lying on the ground in heavy brush, less than 100 yards from where Merle was found.”

SAR team members carried Watson out of the area to a nearby spot where she could be transported via a helicopter to an ambulance.

Watson later told sheriff’s office members that she had left on a hike with Merle and at some point became lost and dehydrated, which led to additional difficulty finding her way back.

Teams assisted from all across Northern California on the successful efforts, including from Placer County, Marin County, Stanislaus County, Calaveras County, Santa Clara County, Lassen County, Nevada County, Solano County, El Dorado County, Merced County, San Mateo County, Contra Costa County, CAL OES, and Yosemite National Park.